Presidential election in Togo: interview with François Kampatib

Text by: Peter Dogbe

François Kampatib is political advisor to the president of the Alliance for Democracy and Integral Development, presidential candidate for February 22. He responds to the name of his candidate, Aimé Tchabouré Gogué, former vice-rector of the University of Benin in Lomé, he is a presidential candidate for the second time.

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RFI: François Kampatib, your candidate Aimé Tchabouré Gogué will be, for the second time, a presidential candidate. The first time was in 2015. Your candidate obtained 4.6%. What are its assets today to do more and be elected?

François Kampatib : Between 2015 and 2020, a lot of water flowed under the bridge. Our asset, today, is that we are much better established on the national territory and that we are much closer to the population. Today, we believe that our candidate is certainly the man closest to the population and that is why we think we will do better this year.

Will this ballot be credible for you?

In Togo, it is recognized that the ballot was never credible. Because he is tainted by fraud. He is tainted by the purchases of conscience. He is tainted by fear, because people are frightened. He is tainted by many things. But we at ADDI say that when we go to a presidential election, if we feel that we have a small chance to change something, we must seize it. And we believe that, for 2020, there is a real chance of alternation.

Do you really think the alternation possible?

It is quite true that it has been fifty-seven years ... We affirm that in Togo alternation is possible and it is enough to organize ourselves well this year. I say, once again, if the six candidates get together for a real mobilization of people to go to vote, the alternation will be possible.

And what is the main problem to be tackled by the next president?

We said it. The most important thing is to work hard for real national reconciliation and the strengthening of national unity. We are saying that, even that, just as a goal, it can take five years. This is why our candidate says: we are only coming for a five-year transition, which will have to put all the forces together to succeed in the work of national reconciliation. It is an absolute emergency!

Priority will therefore be given to strengthening national unity, to guarantee political stability and build a Togolese society in solidarity. We would like to see Togo come out of this regime, as South Africa came out of apartheid. We would like to see our candidate a bit like a Nelson Mandela, who will definitively reconcile the Togolese nation.

We believe that our candidate is certainly the man closest to the population and that is why we think we will do better this year.

François Kampatib, political advisor to Aimé Tchabouré Gogué

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