The West African state of Togo has made international headlines following protest action that took place wherein citizens challenged a constitutional change that critics argue would enable President Faure Gnassingbe to remain in power indefinitely.
The protests have largely been orchestrated by Togo’s youth, with some commentators arguing that the underlying issue is dissatisfaction with the dynastic rule of the Gnassingbe family, who have been in power for over 5 decades.
Speaking to VOC News, Dr Paul Kariuki, executive director of the Democracy Development Program at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, views the youth protests in Togo as part of a growing trend across African nations. He believes that young people are increasingly taking to the streets to express their frustrations about feeling ignored by their governments.
“There is a new wave that is going through the African continent because of this generation that feels severely excluded and, honestly, not engaged in the country of their future that they want to build together with the older generation. This has created an antagonistic relationship that is now coming up as a protest,” said Kariuki.
Kariuki argues that Togo has plenty of agricultural land available and should be in a stronger economic position. However, he believes that the country is being held back by a political dynasty that has been in power for over fifty years, which conflicts with the democratic aspirations of the nation’s youth.
“An issue in Togo is the long dynasty that has been in existence for almost fifty years. At some stage, the new generation says they need to see a leadership that is evolving, leadership that is current, and leadership that is in line with democratic practices. That has been an underlying point within the country, and with all the challenges of economic growth and insecurity challenges, the country has a lot of potential to become a real economic powerhouse,” adds Kariuki.
Listen to the full interview here:
