Description: Local elections in Togo saw a low civil turnout after the streets were filled with heavy presence by the military and police forces in the country. Togolese were set to elect municipal representatives in the 117 municipalities across the country following weeks of demonstrations and violent unrest, protesting the rule of Faure Gnassingbe. The violent protests were instigated after the imprisonment of the Togolese pop star Aamron who called for the protests on Gnassingbe’s birthday and transpired towards larger dimensions of civil unrest which left up to 7 people dead and scores of injured. The country’s civil movement, Don’t Touch my Constitution announced protests on election day, however, the streets in the capital Lome were empty and relatively peaceful due to the low turnout in the municipal elections. Gnassingbe’s constitutional changes, which put him in a position to rule indefinitely, further exacerbated the public disapproval which in the past couple of weeks have flattened after weeks of violent confrontations with police forces.
Impact: Togo’s internal security and political situation remains unstable while the low election turnout signals the repressive effectiveness of Gnassingbe’s military regime. The small western African nation represents a key maritime transportation and trade hub in the region making it an economic portal for the Sahel and wider countries within central Africa. Many of the protesting and demonstration groups are suspected to have been sponsored by lobbyists from France and the US, where exiled Togolese are championing for Gnassingbe’s overthrow. The security and political situation in the country remains unstable, while protest groups are consolidating in a larger anti – government movement. The government’s approach remained unchanged, with Gnassingbe reinforcing suppression and repressive measures in an attempt to preserve his time in power.