Togo has announced a ban on street protests from July 23 to August 1.
The country is hoping the ban will ensure some level of serenity as it prepares to host series of international events.
Togo is due to host the first ever joint summit of the Heads of State of ECOWAS and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) on July 30, 2018.
The country will then host the ECOWAS Ordinary Summit the next day.
Togolese Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Yark Damehane, says the ban will help “to reserve a warm welcome to the illustrious guests and to guarantee the serenity of the work”.
Resolving political tension
Last month Presidents of Ghana and Guinea met Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe and opposition politicians to resolve the country’s political crisis.
President Akufo Addo of Ghana and Guinea’s leader, Alpha Conde were in Lome, hoping to make progress with mediation talks.
Togo Crisis
The Togo crisis has lasted for months without any headway.
The opposition has been demanding that President Gnassingbe exits power to end the 50 year dynasty of his family.
Protests have been held by the opposition, but those agitations calling for change have been met with fierce security crackdown.
Several lives have been lost with tension still high in parts of the country.
Gnassingbe Dynasty
The Togolese President took over from his father Eyadema 12 years ago after he died while in power for 38 years. He has since won elections in 2005, 2010 and 2015.
Gnassingbe got the two-term limit for the Togo presidency scrapped a year ago to allow him to further prolong his rule.
The government has called for a referendum on the introduction of the two-term limit. But there are fears it would further prolong the presidency of Gnassingbe until 2030.
Source: Africafeeds.com
