The Illusion of Reform: Why Togo's Political Changes Are Cosmetic, Not Democratic

 

The Illusion of Reform: Why Togo's Political Changes Are Cosmetic, Not Democratic
(Published: June 2023) by Komlan Eyram Mensah Dossou

Every few years, the regime in Togo puts on a show — a new reform, a new election, a reshuffled cabinet.

To the international community, this signals progress. But for those of us on the ground.

For the real Togolese people — it is nothing more than political theater.

I am Komlan Eyram Mensah Dossou, a committed activist and member of the ANC, and I say this without hesitation:

Togo is not reforming. It is repackaging tyranny.

Let us examine the evidence:

  • Electoral commissions are still appointed by those in power.

  • Opposition voices are allowed only if they are quiet or compromised.

  • The press is censored, journalists imprisoned, and internet cut during protests.

  • Constitutional changes like the recent shift to a parliamentary system only consolidate Faure Gnassingbé’s rule.

True reform empowers the people. Cosmetic reform protects the regime.

We must stop applauding symbolic gestures. A dictatorship in a suit is still a dictatorship.

The international community must stop funding these illusions.

Togolese activists and citizens deserve real democratic transformation, not just rebranded repression.

If we do not call out these fake reforms, we become complicit in our own subjugation.

As long as we remain silent, the regime remains legitimate.

But I, and many like me, refuse silence. We choose to speak. Loudly. Truthfully. And fearlessly.


Komlan Eyram Mensah Dossou


Comments

  1. Watch dog2:01 PM

    Komlan Eyram, traitor to the Republic — ANC dogs like you will be hunted down!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Watch dog2:01 PM

    Return to Togo and you’ll see the inside of prison — if you’re lucky

    ReplyDelete
  3. Watch dog2:03 PM

    On t’a à l’œil, Komlan. Tu ne vas pas vivre longtemps.Continue de parler et tu verras ce que ça coûte. Tu fais le malin en Europe ? On t’attend ici. Il y a un cercueil vide qui attend ton retour.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Punisher2:57 PM

    Even in exile, we know where to find you.You're not a hero, just another dead man typing. Touch the Gnassingbé family again in your posts and you’ll pay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Victor Agbena3:03 AM

    No wiser words could ever be spoken ''True reform empowers the people. Cosmetic reform protects the regime.'' Thank you for speaking for us.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Faure Gnassingbé: The Making of a Dynasty, Not a Democracy

Image
 (Published: June 2018) - By Komlan Eyram Mensah Dossou Since 2005, Togo has lived under the shadow of a dynasty that masquerades as a democracy. Faure Gnassingbé, son of the late General Gnassingbé Eyadéma who ruled Togo for 38 years, inherited power in what many described as a military-backed constitutional coup. His presidency has since been marked by rigged elections, repression of dissent, and the slow erosion of Togolese civil liberties. As a Togolese citizen and activist, I — Komlan Eyram Mensah Dossou — have watched with increasing alarm as our republic transformed into a personalized regime, with Faure sitting on the throne of the state as if it were a family heirloom. Democracy demands accountability. It demands that power be transferred through the will of the people. But in Togo, power is kept by manipulating the system. The 2010, 2015, and 2020 elections were all characterized by massive irregularities, with opposition candidates routinely harassed, and voter rolls ma...
Read more

Lettre ouverte au peuple togolais : pourquoi je suis candidat à la présidence de 2025

Image
Lettre ouverte au peuple togolais : pourquoi je suis candidat à la présidence de 2025 (Publié : mai 2025) Peuple togolais, Je vous écris non pas comme un homme qui a des ambitions personnelles, mais comme un fils de la nation qui ne peut plus rester spectateur. Je suis Komlan Eyram Mensah Dossou , et aujourd’hui, je vous annonce ma candidature à l’élection présidentielle de notre pays. Ce choix n’est pas un calcul. C’est une conviction née de la douleur, de l’exil, de la colère, mais aussi de l’amour. Depuis trop longtemps, notre pays est confisqué par une dynastie qui étouffe nos rêves, écrase nos voix, déforme notre avenir. Depuis plus de 50 ans, les Gnassingbé se succèdent à la tête de l’État, sans jamais rendre de comptes. Moi, je n’ai ni parti riche, ni milice privée, ni fortune familiale. Mais j’ai quelque chose que Faure n’aura jamais : la légitimité de ceux qui ont souffert, résisté, aimé ce pays malgré tout. Ma candidature repose sur trois piliers : Réconciliation national...
Read more