Togo's national assembly, whose members
exclusively belong to the presidential coalition, have rejected
a government request to renew the mandate of members of the
Independent National Election Commission (CENI).
In a statement issued in Lome at the end of its extraordinary
session attended by 57 MPs, the House said "the mere renewal of
the mandate of CENI members would not end the deadlock in the
institution."
Togolese parliament lacks opposition MPs because their parties
boycotted the March 1999 claiming that these would be rigged.
"Since CENI members have failed to organise early parliamentary
elections, it is difficult to see how they could now discharge
their mission within a short period of time," the MPs
noted.
They also asked the government to propose new measures likely
to break the deadlock and facilitate the organisations of early
parliamentary elections.
Facilitators of the inter-Togolese dialogue from the European
Union, the International Organisation of the Francophonie,
France and Germany, who visited Lome from 14-19 January had
suggested the extension of the mandate of CENI members until
the voters cards for the next poll have been delivered.
