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 LOME, Togo (AP) - The father was Africa's longest-reigning dictator, ordered his enemies executed, and claimed to be chosen by God. Now his son is running for president of Togo in a weekend vote already shadowed by violence, with protesters threatening to die fighting if the family of the late dictator Gnassingbe Eyadema maintains its stranglehold on this West African country.
As tension mounts, Togolese were praying for peace and hoping for progress toward democracy which could translate into increased international aid and economic development in a country where one-third of the people live in poverty.
Togo's interim head of state on Friday vowed the elections will go ahead, and fired a minister who had called for the ballot to be canceled because of fears of bloodshed. Some 2.2 million people in this nation of 5 million are registered to vote Sunday.
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