A ”stay-home” protest by Togo’s opposition to oppose the hasty swearing-in of President Faure Gnassingbe was on Tuesday gathering support from a population cowed by the repressive 38 years of rule of his late father, Gnassingbe Eyadema.
By midday, stores that had opened first thing were again shuttered against the empty streets in the downtown area of the capital, Lome. Market women in the main Hedzranawoe and Affigalme markets sat idly, finding no purchase for their wares.
”I thought it would be better to wait a bit before opening up, because you never know what’s going to happen these days,” said Ayaba, a cloth-seller in Affigalme market.
”I’m still going to wait for a bit, maybe until 2pm — I just don’t feel safe,” added another woman, her pile of shoes still bundled beside her.
The densely populated Dekon and Be neighbourhoods, strongholds of the six opposition parties that called for the two-day ”Togo, a dead country” action, were bare of passers-by in tacit support for their political champions.
That the population did not immediately seize on the opportunity for belligerence came as little surprise in a country where political opposition has been stifled with massacres, and crackdowns on freedom of expression through rallies or the media are all too common.
Government warnings that security forces will be ”particularly vigilant” in coming days to ensure citizens did not ”yield to intimidation” by the opposition parties only underscored the strict control maintained over the tiny country of 4,7-million.
Soldiers in camouflage lolled around intersections as parked taxi drivers eyed their presence warily and waited for clients.
”Normally, I am a carpenter, but since there is no work, I drive a taxi,” said 25-year-old Ayme, evoking the financial peril facing the majority of his fellow Togolese, who earn an average $270 (R1 690) annually.
”Us young people are suffering, that’s why we want change. President Faure, that’s not change.”
Opposition from outside Togo to the military power play — legitimised by a series of constitutional amendments — has grown stronger, with the African Union calling the action a ”military coup d’état” and threatening sanctions.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council signalled ”its determination to impose sanctions, foreseen in cases of unconstitutional transfers of power, unless rapid action is undertaken by the authorities to restore the constitutional order”.
The global assembly of French-speaking countries also weighed in, condemning the ”complete constitutional breakdown” that preceded the inauguration on Monday of the 39-year-old Gnassingbe.
Eyadema (69) died on Saturday en route overseas for treatment for a still unknown malady. Hours later, Gnassingbe was installed by the armed forces in violation of constitutional orders for succession that hand the presidency to the head of the National Assembly, pending elections to be held within two months.
Lawmakers scrambled on Sunday to amend the Constitution for retroactive support to the military, returning Gnassingbe as a MP, elevating him to the top legislative spot and finally tapping him to become president.
Further constitutional amendments gave future Assembly leaders the ability to serve out a deceased president’s full term, which, in this case, means until June 2008.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) will hold talks on Togo on Wednesday, with regional heavyweights President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore and Ghana’s John Kufuor planning to attend the first summit chaired by new Ecowas head Mamadou Tandja, President of Niger. — Sapa-AFP