Lome, Togo – President Faure Gnassingbe has opted to retain Victoire Sidemeho Tomegah-Dogbe as Togo’s Prime Minister, according to a presidential statement released on Thursday. The announcement comes as the country prepares to form a new government in alignment with its recently adopted constitution.
The March ratification of the new charter has ignited tensions across the nation, with opposition and civil society groups vehemently criticizing what they perceive as a power grab by Gnassingbe to extend his nearly two-decade rule.
Tomegah-Dogbe, Togo’s inaugural female Prime Minister since her appointment in 2020, is a key figure within the ruling Union for the Republic party. This political entity secured an overwhelming majority in the April legislative elections, which faced multiple delays amidst constitutional disputes.
Togo has endured years of civil unrest in opposition to the Gnassingbe family’s protracted leadership. The current president succeeded his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in a 1967 coup.
