A government announcement on Tuesday stated that Togo had rescheduled legislative elections for April 29 after postponing the vote due to a hotly debated constitutional amendment.
The opposition parties said that the government's decision to postpone the elections, which were scheduled for April 20, was an attempt to keep President Faure Gnassingbe in office longer.
Following a Tuesday cabinet meeting, the presidency released a statement that stated, "Date for the legislative and regional elections: Monday, April 29." The Gnassingbe rule is a topic of discussion sparked by the constitutional amendment.
He took over as president in 2005, replacing his father, who had ruled for thirty years following a military takeover.
Statements regarding the new election date were not promptly released by the opposition parties.
However, the cabinet announcement was made just a few days before opposition parties were to stage public demonstrations against the election delay and constitutional amendment.
The opposition parties' request for permission to hold rallies against the change that has heightened political tensions was earlier on Tuesday rejected by the Togo government.
The protests will go on, but they would only take place on Friday and Saturday, according to the opposition National Alliance for Change (ANC) and other organizations.