Kpatcha Gnassingbé
Encyclopedia
Kpatcha Gnassingbé is a Togo
lese politician. He is a son of Gnassingbé Eyadéma
, who was President of Togo from 1967 to 2005, and a brother of Faure Gnassingbé
, who has been President since 2005. From 2005 to 2007, Kpatcha Gnassingbé was Minister of Defense, and since 2008 he has been a Deputy in the National Assembly of Togo
. In April 2009, he was arrested on suspicion on plotting to overthrow his brother.
, the capital; both of his parents were from northern Togo. During his father's presidency, he was closely associated with the military and worked as Director-General of the Company for the Administration of the Free Zone (SAZOF) in Lomé. Upon his father's death in February 2005, his brother Faure assumed the presidency, and on 20 June 2005 Kpatcha was appointed to the government as Minister of Defense.
In the October 2007 parliamentary election
, Gnassingbé was the first candidate on the candidate list of the Rally of the Togolese People
(RPT) in Kozah Prefecture and won a seat in the National Assembly. However, he resigned from the National Assembly on 26 November 2007 due to incompatibility of functions, as he was still serving as Minister of Defense.
Gnassingbé was excluded from the government that was appointed on 13 December 2007, and subsequently he sought to regain his parliamentary seat. He therefore resigned as Director-General of SAZOF and as head of the Board of Directors of the Togolese Cotton Company (SOTOCO), and he informed the President of the National Assembly of his willingness to take his seat again on 12 February 2008; accordingly, the Constitutional Court restored him to his seat in a decision issued on 14 February 2008, as he no longer held any positions incompatible with the role of Deputy.
Kpatcha Gnassingbé was viewed as a hard-liner within the RPT regime, while his brother Faure was seen as having more reformist tendencies. He was a member of the RPT Political Bureau.
embassy in Lomé on 15 April, but the embassy refused to grant him asylum, and he was arrested at the scene by Togolese soldiers. According to state prosecutor Robert Bakai, there was "serious and corroborating evidence" indicating that Kpatcha Gnassingbé was behind a plot to overthrow his brother Faure. Bakai said on 17 April that the conditions of Gnassingbé's detention were "acceptable" and "humane". He also described Gnassingbé as "a respectable citizen who has served the nation".
The opposition Union of the Forces of Change (UFC) criticized the arrest, saying that Gnassingbé enjoyed parliamentary immunity
. However, his case was legally treated as one of flagrante delicto; according to the constitution, deputies could be arrested and tried without the formal lifting of their immunity by a vote of the National Assembly only in cases of flagrante delicto.
Faure Gnassingbé, speaking on state television on 17 April 2009, alleged the existence of a coup plot, saying that the coup was supposed to occur while he was out of the country on a visit to China
. He did not specifically mention Kpatcha in that address. Additional arrests followed in the subsequent weeks; those arrests reportedly included another brother, Essolizam Gnassingbé.
Citing Gnassingbé's parliamentary immunity, the UFC appealed to the Constitutional Court regarding Gnassingbé's arrest on 26 October 2009, but the Court rejected the appeal on 4 November.
In an interview with the news agency Agence France-Presse
in February 2010, Faure Gnassingbé stressed the importance of "building a lawful state" when discussing his brother's case: "We could settle it in the family, more simple, but it is a question of credibility. We cannot say on one side we are for reforms and on the other settle such cases surreptitiously, on the side."
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese politician. He is a son of Gnassingbé Eyadéma
Gnassingbé Eyadéma
General Gnassingbé Eyadéma , was the President of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. He participated in two successful military coups, in January 1963 and January 1967, and became President on April 14, 1967...
, who was President of Togo from 1967 to 2005, and a brother of Faure Gnassingbé
Faure Gnassingbé
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé has been the President of Togo since May 4, 2005. A son of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, he was appointed to the government by his father, serving as Minister of Equipment, Mines, Posts, and Telecommunications from 2003 to 2005...
, who has been President since 2005. From 2005 to 2007, Kpatcha Gnassingbé was Minister of Defense, and since 2008 he has been a Deputy in the National Assembly of Togo
National Assembly of Togo
The unicameral National Assembly of Togo is the country's legislative body. It has a total of 81 members who are elected in a party list proportional representation system...
. In April 2009, he was arrested on suspicion on plotting to overthrow his brother.
Political career
Gnassingbé was born in LoméLomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
, the capital; both of his parents were from northern Togo. During his father's presidency, he was closely associated with the military and worked as Director-General of the Company for the Administration of the Free Zone (SAZOF) in Lomé. Upon his father's death in February 2005, his brother Faure assumed the presidency, and on 20 June 2005 Kpatcha was appointed to the government as Minister of Defense.
In the October 2007 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Togo on October 14, 2007 for the 81 seats in the National Assembly. There were over 2,000 candidates, with 32 parties and 41 lists of independent candidates competing. The ruling Rally of the Togolese People was victorious, winning a majority of 50 seats...
, Gnassingbé was the first candidate on the candidate list of the Rally of the Togolese People
Rally of the Togolese People
The Rally of the Togolese People is the ruling political party in Togo. The President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, is also the National President of the RPT....
(RPT) in Kozah Prefecture and won a seat in the National Assembly. However, he resigned from the National Assembly on 26 November 2007 due to incompatibility of functions, as he was still serving as Minister of Defense.
Gnassingbé was excluded from the government that was appointed on 13 December 2007, and subsequently he sought to regain his parliamentary seat. He therefore resigned as Director-General of SAZOF and as head of the Board of Directors of the Togolese Cotton Company (SOTOCO), and he informed the President of the National Assembly of his willingness to take his seat again on 12 February 2008; accordingly, the Constitutional Court restored him to his seat in a decision issued on 14 February 2008, as he no longer held any positions incompatible with the role of Deputy.
Kpatcha Gnassingbé was viewed as a hard-liner within the RPT regime, while his brother Faure was seen as having more reformist tendencies. He was a member of the RPT Political Bureau.
2009 arrest and subsequent events
Kpatcha Gnassingbé's home was stormed by elite special forces on 12 April 2009, and two soldiers were reported killed in fighting there. The purpose of the assault was officially said to be the arrest of individuals allegedly involved in a plot "to undermine state security", and a number of arrests were reported. Soldiers returned to Gnassingbé's home on 14 April, although he was not present at the time. Gnassingbé sought asylum at the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy in Lomé on 15 April, but the embassy refused to grant him asylum, and he was arrested at the scene by Togolese soldiers. According to state prosecutor Robert Bakai, there was "serious and corroborating evidence" indicating that Kpatcha Gnassingbé was behind a plot to overthrow his brother Faure. Bakai said on 17 April that the conditions of Gnassingbé's detention were "acceptable" and "humane". He also described Gnassingbé as "a respectable citizen who has served the nation".
The opposition Union of the Forces of Change (UFC) criticized the arrest, saying that Gnassingbé enjoyed parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself...
. However, his case was legally treated as one of flagrante delicto; according to the constitution, deputies could be arrested and tried without the formal lifting of their immunity by a vote of the National Assembly only in cases of flagrante delicto.
Faure Gnassingbé, speaking on state television on 17 April 2009, alleged the existence of a coup plot, saying that the coup was supposed to occur while he was out of the country on a visit to China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. He did not specifically mention Kpatcha in that address. Additional arrests followed in the subsequent weeks; those arrests reportedly included another brother, Essolizam Gnassingbé.
Citing Gnassingbé's parliamentary immunity, the UFC appealed to the Constitutional Court regarding Gnassingbé's arrest on 26 October 2009, but the Court rejected the appeal on 4 November.
In an interview with the news agency Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
in February 2010, Faure Gnassingbé stressed the importance of "building a lawful state" when discussing his brother's case: "We could settle it in the family, more simple, but it is a question of credibility. We cannot say on one side we are for reforms and on the other settle such cases surreptitiously, on the side."