POLITICS: Impossible is not Togolese!

Togolese political parties which candidates are engaged in the presidential race are able to agree on the electoral register as a basis in the election of 25 April. The lists have been checked, cleaned and then consolidated by the expert CENI (electoral commission) and those of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF) called in by the government.

The difficulties have been overcome. Impossible is not Togolese! True to this adage, the country can now go confidently in the field.

Gilbert Bawara, Minister of Territorial Administration, welcomed the accession of all political actors and civil society in this file which has all the guarantees of reliability.

About the nascent controversy over the results collection process, Mr. Bawara wants to be very clear: 'The system in place meets the concerns expressed previously by the opposition about the risks of manipulation or tampering of minutes' .

The parties finally agreed on the electoral register.What do you think this agreement?

Gilbert Bawara: This is not strictly speaking an agreement but a consensus unreserved and total support of all political actors and civil society regarding the quality of the electoral register and reliability of the electoral lists.

Since the beginning, the government has never had a doubt. It was clear, as I have had occasion to repeat many times, we were facing an operation handling and mystification. A real deception with the aim to create and maintain the doubt and confusion, to discredit and discredit the electoral process and consequently the election results. 

To avoid the trap was set for him and to reaffirm its willingness and commitment to transparency and credibility of the electoral process, the government has no hesitation sought the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). She has the experience and expertise in this area to support the INEC in the consolidation of electoral lists. The work was done transparently, in full freedom and peace of mind with the participation of experts appointed by all candidats.Je rejoice and congratulate the mission of the OIF and experts candidates for the outstanding job done. Some minor errors and anomalies were detected and corrected and recommendations were made in particular to the removal of voting failed and to prevent any attempt at fraudulent voting related to duplicates that were obtained during the review. At the end of operations, the file is passed to 3,529,781 registered on the provisional electoral lists 3517377 registered after treatment of multiple registrations and litigation (striking dead people included) and finally 3,509,258 on the lists after final work of consolidation and audit committee. 

Everyone is now definitely reassured. The presidential election will be held on the basis of electoral lists completely sincere and reliable.

What is now following the electoral process ?

Bawara Gilbert: The election campaign will start on time and polling will be held on 25 April. Political parties and the entities concerned are working for the designation of their representatives in the polling stations and the rest of the election material is etdisponible. The pre-campaign was active and intense throughout the national territory especially on the side of opposition candidates; chefde the state being busy with the affairs of the state. 

So this is the final stretch. 

The election campaign is it an obligatory step or do you wait ten days of this democratic momentum?

Bawara Gilbert: The election campaign is essential. It must allow candidates to decline their respective programs and projects and to indicate their visions for the future of our country. I hope that this campaign is characterized by courtesy and mutual respect, and it is above all an opportunity of a real democratic debate bottom of a confrontation of ideas to allow voters to determine knowingly. We also need to do a convivial avoiding clashes and attitudes about abusive or personal attacks. 

Togolese are politically mature enough and they will not only proclamations of intent. In all sectors and areas of national life, they expect reliable diagnoses and specific proposals, concrete and credible.   

Candidates have expressed concerns about the results collection system.Do you share these fears?

Gilbert Bawara: As you know, the INEC is an independent body that works and takes decisions collegially in accordance with its rules of procedure. She has to work free from interference and political staffs pressures. She decided to centralize terms and transmission of results to the establishment of a system called 'SUCCESS'. The agreed procedures fully preserve the minutes of the system results which remain fundamental to the announcement of provisional results, the basis of electoral disputes and the base of the proclamationdes final results by the Constitutional Court.

The innovations introduced already in the parliamentary elections of July 2013 and improved and advance to the next électionprésidentielle rather to enhance the reliability, traceability, safety and speed of the transmission process.

This system also meets the concerns expressed previously by the opposition about the risks of manipulation or tampering of the minutes in the paths between the polls and Celi (local electoral commissions, ed.)

Such a risk no longer exists. SUCCESS even offers the possibility of crossing and against-check the results. Moreover, the composition of the polling stations, which include representatives from all political trends and the image of the inclusiveness of the CENI and Celi and support of delegates each candidate in all offices measures to guard against the risk of fraud. All these measures ensure and enhance transparency, reliability and credibility of voting, counting, compilation and transmission of results. 

Candidates can even share the minutes to make the necessary checks. The increased transparency and reliability of results should be welcomed except for those who have had ulterior motives!

The completed voting, the results are never known very quickly. Several days are required before the winner. They are things change this time?

Gilbert Bawara: Exactly, the results of centralization and transmission procedures to rectify this situation.We must both avoid carrier precipitation challenges of germs and at the same time ensure the expeditious recovery and announcement of results. 

SUCCESS uses several methods and results transmission channels and ensures both the detailed verification and even against-check the results out of ballot boxes and polling stations for the sake of reliability, transparency and credibility, while meeting the requirement of promptness. 

Media will not be authorities to publish partial results before an official proclamation. Why such a measure?

Gilbert Bawara: During the meeting of the Monitoring Committee of 7 April, the President of the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) took stock of the measures taken to ensure a fair and equitable media coverage public and private.

There are also measures governing the declaration of results, which aims to prevent any tampering that could cause or maintain a climate of tension, protest and even violence. 

Although the media were grouped, would they be able to deploy enough journalists in 8994 polling stations to ensure that they announce the results are those that have been posted in the offices? I dont belive.

It is forbidden to share the results displayed in the polling stations or in the Celi, but give the feeling of having all the results for forunir credible trends or to determine the outcome of the election, only on the basis of some polling stations would be manipulation, misinformation and intoxication with incalculable consequences for public order and social peace. It is therefore important for the media to exercise patience, prudence and precaution.

Some paris - a small minority - calling on voters to boycott and others threatening to block the electoral process

Bawara Gilbert: I just completed a tour in several localities of the Grand Lomé, and I found rather high expectations and mobilization Togo for the presidential election. All are determined to go to the polls to fully exercise their freedom and their right to fulfill their civic responsibility.

There are obvious indifference of voters compared to small groups who say the election will not take place or that it must boycott. At the government level we respect everything that reflects the freedom of opinion, expression or manifestation. But if the behaviors, attitudes or actions were to pose problems for the preservation of public order and meet the demands of social peace and national cohesion, the necessary measures would be taken, with rigor and firmness.

Are you satisfied with the electoral process as it was initiated a few weeks ago and what are the opportunities for improvement?

Gilbert Bawara: At this stage, I am fully satisfied. The process takes place in satisfactory conditions. The major political parties contribute and I welcome that. I hope that we continue to work to ensure that this electoral process results in tranquility and peace.

After the vote, we can learn lessons and continue to consolidate the successive advances made since 2007 and even further develop the electoral system and election organizing conditions. This is a collective task.