Togo municipals: Defence, security forces set tone for hitch-free polls.

Conscious of their mission, especially within the present context of social unrests, the defence and security top brass have mapped out special measures to ensure the polls go on without any hitches. 

In a bid to ensure maximum security on voting day, the soldiers, gendarmes, paramilitary and personnel of the operational reserve, on Monday, July 14, performed their civic rights through early voting. 

This was in accordance with the timetable established by the Togolese elections management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, best known by its French acronym, CENI. 

The President of CENI, Yago Dabré, had on July 10, explained that the special approach, exclusively reserved for the defense and security forces, is essentially aimed at allowing them to be fully available on election day.

He said after casting their votes before election day, the defense and security forces will perfectly guarantee the safety of voters and electoral operations across the national territory. 

Top brass of the defence and security forces set the example for the early voting for their soldiers and officers to follow. 

In Togolese capital city, Lomé, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Togolese Defence Forces, Brigadier General Allahare Dimini, fulfilled his civic duty at the Primary School of the General Gnassingbé Eyadema Camp.

According to a publication by the Ministry of the Armed Forces on its social media channels, the early voting, just like in Lome, successfully took place throughout the national territory, where the mobilisation of the Defense and Security Forces was massive. 

Polling stations, it should be said, opened at 7a.m. and closed at 4p.m. for defence and security forces to choose those to be voted among the 1,663 municipal councillors in the 117 municipalities of the country.

By Doh Bertrand on special assignment in Lome, Togo