The seizure of power in Togo on Saturday by Faure Gnasingbe Eyadema following the death of his father, President Eyadema shows that we have a long way to go in Africa since we continue to have leaders in the continent who still believes that coup and dictatorship must continue.

 

President Eyadema had died in yet unclear circumstances and his death had conveniently coincided with the trip outside the country of the Speaker, Fanbara Quattara Natchaba, who constitutionally should have acted as President. Was this a planned thing or it coincided with Eyadema’s death. Rather than allow the constitutional provision, which empowers the Speaker of the Parliament to act for 60 days within which fresh elections will be, held, Faure and the country’s Defence Chief, General Zakari Nandja seized power.

 

The Speaker was refused entry into the country and is now stranded in Benin Republic while Faure and the army have forced the Parliament to convene and temper with the constitution to legitimize the coup. On Saturday, hours after Eyadema's death, the military installed Gnassingbe even though the constitution says that the parliament speaker is next in line for the presidency.  After statement issued  by President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chair of the African Union, who condemns the coup and went on to say that  the coup would not be tolerated.  In an extraordinary session the next day, the 81-member national approved Gnassingbe as speaker by a vote of 67 to 14, and then voted to change the constitution to allow him to fulfill his father's term, which expires in 2008. Had the army not stepped in, the interim presidency under the constitution would have gone to the speaker of parliament, Fanbare Ouattara Natchaba, who was in Europe when Eyadema died. This is a mockery to Africa as a whole we are in 2005 and we still have the likes of Gnassingbe and the Togolese army. I am so happy with President Obsanjo’s statement that “It is significant that Africa’s leaders appreciate that the coup is a retrogressive step that endangers the continent’s steady march towards democratic rule.”

The AU and ECOWAS have condemned the coup which is a desperate attempt by the minority army in Togo to continue its political rule which started in 1963 with the overthrow and murder of President Sylvanus Olympio. This attempt to create a tyrannical dynasty must not be allowed to stand.

 

Even though AU and ECOWAS communiqué this morning did not clearly give time frame as to when the government should conduct elections what it clearly state is that  if they fail to relinquish power and allow elections to take place  as soon as possible sanctions will applied.

 

Therefore, beyond the initial statement and assurances that the ensuing process would not be recognised, the African Union and ECOWAS must take firm steps to restore constitutional rule in Togo.  This is a challenge for the AU and ECOWAS, we have to start dealing with our problems and issues as Africans. It is also a test for  the newly formed AU. We should make 2005 as the year that ends dictatorship and coup in the continent especially the West Africa sub-region.

 

 

The Struggle Continues!!!

Ndey Jobarteh