An empty market, tightened security and a general wariness of possible violence have greeted the announcement of President Fauré Gnassingbé’s re-election.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for calm in Togo, where the provisional results of the 4th March presidential election were announced on Saturday.
According to media reports, Faure Gnassingbé was re-elected in the race against challenger Jean-Pierre Fabre, who is disputing the results, alleging irregularities in the vote count.
NERVØSITET PÅ GADEN
Business at the largest market in the capital, Lomé, has slowed after anxious merchants shuttered their stands.
– I am waiting to see how the country will be after results are announced to continue my work in the market, fish vendor, Da Vivi, told IRIN.
– Since Friday [5 March] I have not been to the market because I do not know what will happen. My life is more important than money.
RELATIV RO
Demonstrations were quickly dispersed with tear gas during the vote count and again on 7 March.
There have not been reports of excessive use of force, according to local human rights groups.
Hotlines set up to report poll violence remained silent.
SPORENE SKRÆMMER
President Gnassingbé was elected in a 2005 contested poll that led to a bloody security crackdown, hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of Togolese fleeing to neighbouring countries, according to the UN.
INTET AT KOMME EFTER
The ruling party has dismissed claims of fraud as “fantasies from the opposition to foment violence” in the country’s most closely observed election since Togo started holding multi-party elections in 1993.
There were more than 3,000 local and international election observers covering almost 6,000 voting stations.
