Press wary over Togo 'coup'

Faure Gnassingbe - Togo's new 'helmsman'

African press commentators continue to have harsh words for the late Togolese leader Gnassingbe Eyadema.

Several express deep concern about the validity of the abrupt political transition to his son, Faure.

Some papers also draw sharp parallels between Togo and other African countries with long-serving leaders, both those who have now left the scene and those who still remain in office.

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Unless an end is quickly put to the current events, one has to fear the worst for Togo and the region. After Cote d'Ivoire, we don't want another botched transition of power in the region. What is happening in Togo looks very much like the Ivorian syndrome, where a president remained in power for too long and did not know when to leave. The other dinosaur, [former Zairean president] Mobutu Sese Seko (Eyadema's mentor) also died abroad, after plunging his country into civil war. [Former Ivorian president] Houphouet-Boigny, Mobutu and now Eyadema. It is as if staying in power for as long as possible is a curse... We don't want presidents for life any more.

Commentary by Mahorou Kanazoe in Burkina Faso's Le Pays

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The general [Eyadema] built and consolidated his power using terror, a personality cult, corruption and the violation of the country's fundamental laws. As such it is not in the interest of his entourage that the house of cards the "helmsman" so patiently built should be blown away at the first breeze. Such an event would expose them, if not to popular retribution, at least to fair and due judgement in the country's courts.

Commentary by Boubakar Sy in Burkina Faso's Sidwaya

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Gnassingbe Eyadema was 67. He died in the aircraft taking him to Israel. This shortcut shows the track record of his 38 years in power: the failure to organize a health system which the president of the republic could trust. Despite the African Union's good intentions, Africa remains the continent of life presidencies and chronic coups...What we can wish for Togo is that, after the death of the baobab that hid the jungle, the "stability" of the past four decades does not degenerate into a civil war such was the case in Zaire or Ivory Coast.

Commentary by Nasolo-Valiavo Andriamihaja in Madagascar's L'Express

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News that Togolese President, General Gnassingbe Eyadema has suddenly gone on a visit to his ancestors must have come as a shock to many, especially since his name had become synonymous with the republic of Togo... his demise is likely to cause some turbulence in the country. The reported sudden military swearing-in of Faure Gnassingbe... is a worrying development, especially to all who have hoped to see Africa... unburdened of the yoke of military adventurism.

Editorial in Ghana's Chronicle

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They will not be many who will mourn this man [Eyadema]... while it is true that Eyadema Jnr has not revealed his intentions, we can already say that the matter has got off to a bad start... At this point one can only hope that the new government will be banished from the African and international community and that all possible and imaginable pressure will be exerted to make it return its ill-gotten gains.

Editorial in Burkina Faso's L'Observateur Paalga

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Uganda and Togo have a lot in common, not least because our leaders have been in power for a long time and our democratic transition has not passed the full test of a change of leadership at the top. Many Ugandans love President Yoweri Museveni but yearn for the day when the cogs of democracy will roll to peacefully usher in a new leadership and our professional men in uniform will stand aside and watch and salute a new elected president.

Editorial in Uganda's Monitor

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The hope is that our own Dear Leader Comrade Robert Mugabe, will learn from the Togolese experience following the death last Saturday of President Gnassingbe Eyadema... Today, after lining his pockets and destroying the country's once healthy economy, he blames the Americans and the British for the mess the country finds itself in. He insists he will not let go, even at the age of 80.

Editorial in Zimbabwe's Daily News

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