- The results of Togo’s weekend legislative poll are expected to be announced in the middle of the week, the country’s electoral commission announced. At least 2,150 candidates contested for Togo’s 81 legislative seats.
Togolese voters took part in what was described as a trouble free poll contested by all opposition parties. This is the first time in 20 years for all opposition parties to participate in the country’s poll.
The main opposition Union of Forces for Change led by the veteran opposition kingpin Gilchrist Olympio also contested in the polls.
International election observers endorsed the polls as free and fair. Togolese turned out in large numbers to vote.
Due to dwindling nature of democracy and human rights in the country, foreign donors imposed donor embargo on Togo. But the country’s leadership now hope that the staging of a free and fair poll will result in the lifting of donor embargo.
Until his death three years back, Gnassingbe Eyadema, Togo’s former iron-fisted President Had ruled for 38 years. Eyadema was replayed by his son, Faure Gnassingbe after his death in 2004. Faure won the 2005 Presidential poll, amid killings of hundreds of people in post electoral violence.
But the Sunday poll was a total difference from those of the 1990s when the Eyadema regime was bent on using the military to arbitrarily arrest, detain as well as carry out extra-judicial killings of its opponents. Both campaign and voting passed off peacefully.
Since last year, Togolese politicians have been holding meetings aimed at restoring democracy in their country - a key demand of the international community, especially the European Union.
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