Togolese National Assembly has altered the country’s constitution on Thursday thereby allowing President Faure Gnassingbe stay in office until 2030, extending his family rule in the country to 63 years despite widespread protests.
Igbere TV reports that the family’s political dynasty started when Gnassingbe’s father, Eyadéma seized power in a 1967 coup and ruled the country until his death.
Gnassingbe came to power through a controversial poll in 2005, and has since then, been ruling as president of the West African country, Togo.
The new constitutional amendment also defined a two five-year terms for the country’s future presidents.
The new law does not take into account the three-terms Gnassingbe has already served since succeeding his late father in 2005, the latest of which ends next year. In other words, president Gnassingbe by virtue of the new law, will serve a fresh two five-year terms from 2020-2030, bringing his rule to a total of five five-year terms (25years).
“The National Assembly has decided to transform Togolese citizens into subjects of his majesty Gnassingbe,” said opposition member Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson in a statement in which she called for all opponents to unite.
Igbere TV gathered that the law was passed overnight after 90 out of 91 members of parliament voted in favour of the reform.
The opposition boycotted legislative elections in December, because of the dispute over term limits, leaving them without parliamentary seats and powerless to vote against the law.
Findings by Igbere TV revealed that passage of the new law is likely to spark protests.
Deadly clashes erupted over the proposed reform in 2017 after security forces cracked down on demonstrators calling for Gnassingbe’s resignation, during which at least 500 people were killed.
The new reform is, however, not alien to West African countries.
Igbere TV recalls that Chad had last year, introduced a similar reform that would allow President Idriss Deby to stay in power until 2033, when he will be 81 and will have been in power for 43 years.
