Up to 150,000 people took to the streets of the Togolese capital, Lome, calling for political reforms, for a second day, journalist Blame Ekoue told jejeupdates correspondent in Lome
He said people were carrying banners saying: “[President] Faure must go now”, “Togo is not a monarchy” and “we want reform now”.
President Faure Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005. He succeeded his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in 1967.
One protester told Blame:
Fifty years is enough. The Gnassingbes must go. The reforms must be done. They must release political detainees now.”
In the coming days, the national assembly is expected to meet in a special session to discuss changes to the constitution limiting presidential terms, but it is not clear if this will placate the protesters.