19th December, 2019

MEMORANDUM

On 27th April 1960, Togo, led by President Sylvanus Olympio under a multi-party system, gains her international sovereignty.

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It all began with the 13th January 1963 coup d’état masterminded by Gnassingbe Eyadema, which materialized following the assassination of the first ever president elect.

Without election, power is entrusted to Nicolas Grunitzky. A second coup d’état is again realized by Gnassingbe Eyadema in 1967. Cleber Dadjo, an army officer came into power without election. In 1967, Eyadema seized power for himself following the success of the third coup d’état orchestrated by him. He created the political party named RPT and established a one-party system.

October 5, 1990, the Togolese people rise up to demand for the practice of democracy in the country. A charter creating political parties is adopted. A referendum of over 98% ensures the adoption of the constitution of October 14,1992. This constitution enshrines the limitation of absolute power but most especially, the number of terms to be spent in power. In fact, the president of the republic is elected by amassing the majority of the votes over two rounds election for a five (5) year term which is renewable once; in no case, no one shall exceed two (2) terms.

Since then, the administration in power has always moved against the art and the spirit of the October 1992 constitution, notably the relative dispositions to the limitation of terms in office. The first unilateral reviews of this constitution came to play in 2002. The objective was to enable Gnassingbe Eyadema contest in 2003.

At the end of his thirty-eight (38) years in power, Gnassingbe Eyadema relinquished power in 2005. In the process, the constitution undergoes unilateral reviews following which Eyadema is replaced by his son, Faure Gnassingbe in 2005. To mitigate the crisis caused by this situation in which hundreds of people were killed and several others injured or exiled, the Global Political Accord (APG) was signed in 2006 with reforms in view. No reform will be made until 2017.

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On the 19 th August 2017, at the call of the Pan-African National Party (PNP), the Togolese people both at home and in diaspora take to the street to clamor for the return of October 1992 constitution and the effectiveness of the right to vote from the diaspora.

On the request of the administration in power, a dialogue is opened under the supervision of ECOWAS. A roadmap is imposed on the two parties on July 8th, 2018. The ECOWAS recruit the service of a constitutionalist specialist who has proposed a constitution harmonized with that of the ECOWAS States.

However, the administration in power rejects both the roadmap and the ECOWAS expert’s message, and then organizes legislature’s election which is greeted with a record of 95% boycott.

The National Assembly born by this election adopts a constitution in favour of Faure Gnassingbe. This constitution, in addition to the immunity and total impunity, ensures that Faure Gnassingbe is reelected in 2020, after three five-year terms (2005-2020). By 2020, Faure and his late father will have spent fifty-three (53) years in power.

In total, the rejection of the October 1992 constitution, the refusal to implement the Global Political Accord of 2006, the rejection of the roadmap and the 2018 constitution proposed by the ECOWAS expert betray the will of the administration in power to oppose the alternation and resist the harmonization of Togo with the political governance in effect in the ECOWAS region.

Thus, the initial problem remains. The regime opposes the alternation and democratization of the country by rejecting constitutionalism. This entire period (1963-2019) is punctuated by serious repeated violations of human rights which can be found in the various reports produced by human rights organizations and international institutions, including the United Nation.

It is urgent to anticipate 2020 in these conditions. To this end, the Pan-African National Party, to normalize the socio-political life in Togo which will enable us to get out of this atypical situation, proposes a three-fold measure:

1. A firm public renouncement of Faure Gnassingbe’s candidacy in 2020 The Togolese people have, today, taken control of the situation. They are therefore ready, at any time, to oppose this suicidal candidacy for the good of our country.

The current calm that one observes is only a deceptive one because it is precarious. If Faure Gnassingbe does not take measure of the situation, the Togolese people, in their struggle for freedom and prosperity, will force him to give up his quest for a fourth term at the country’s helm of affairs. The Togolese people now have a better understanding of the Niamey Declaration of October, 4, 2019.

2. Establishment of a transition After fifty-seven (57) years of dictatorial power, a transition is an essential passage towards a democratic Togo. The transition will, after the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees from peaceful protests as well as all political detainees, be responsible for the implementation of serious reforms aimed at the democratization of the country.
3. Organization of elections After the successful realization of constitutional, institutional and electoral reforms, security (of persons, properties and services) and the reestablishment of freedom, organizing elections both at the presidential, legislative and local levels will be the next line of action. Elections under these conditions can only be, free and fair without violence and acceptable by all.
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These are the indicators of the constitutional and socio-economic history of our country in view of her harmonious development and her integration into community of worthy and prosperous nations. Hence, any partnership in the interest of the Togolese people should adopt this point of view, this logical perspective which accentuates the history of our country in Africa and the ever  changing world. This is what the Togolese people expect of each partner, all the partners as well as the African and international community.

Written in Lome, 19 th November, 2019

Signed: Dr Kossi SAMA

General Secretary of PNP.

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