Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe has retained Victoire Sidemeho Tomegah-Dogbe as prime minister.
A new government will be formed in line with a new constitution, the presidency announced on Thursday.
The new charter, adopted in March, has sparked tensions, with opposition and civil society groups condemning what they see as Gnassingbe’s bid to extend his 19-year rule.
Tomegah-Dogbe, Togo’s first female prime minister since 2020, is a member of the ruling Union for the Republic party.
The party won a sweeping majority in an April legislative election, which was delayed twice due to constitutional wrangling. Togo has experienced years of resistance to the Gnassingbe family’s rule.
President Gnassingbe was first elected in 2005, succeeding his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who took office after a coup in 1967.
The new government formation comes amidst ongoing political tensions and opposition to the long-standing rule of the Gnassingbe family. The new constitution has been a point of contention in the country.
The opposition and civil society groups argue that the new constitution is a move to extend Gnassingbe’s rule beyond the expected term limits.
The political landscape in Togo remains fraught with challenges as the new government takes shape under the revised charter.