The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
– Political trap –
The government bill proposes that presidents can only serve up to two terms.
The opposition has been calling for such a measure for more than a decade. A referendum will be held on the issue in the coming months.
But the application of the restriction is not retroactive, which effectively allows Gnassingbe to stand for a fourth — and even a fifth — five-year term of office.
He took power in 2005 after the death of his father and has already won three elections, albeit contested. Before him, General Gnassingbe Eyadema ruled for 38 years.
Not unexpectedly, the opposition is against such a move.
“The referendum gives the impression that the government is giving the people the chance to choose,” said Gilles Yabi, a political analyst who specialises in West Africa.
“It’s always the same trap as before. The most important thing for the opposition now is to stay united.”
Gnassingbe currently holds the rotating presidency of the regional bloc the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), making outside political pressure unlikely.
“Change will only come from the Togolese people themselves,” said Yabi.
