Africa's longest serving ruler, President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, died on Saturday as he was being moved to France for medical treatment, the government said in a statement. He was 69. Mr. Eyadema, Togo's ruler for 38 years, had been suffering from illness for several years and had been abroad on several occasions for medical treatment. He was a young soldier when he staged one of the continent's first post-colonial coups in 1963. He took power in his own name in 1967.
On the African stage, Mr. Eyadema carved himself the role of a peacemaker, focusing on regional diplomacy and, most recently, helping to mediate in Ivory Coast's civil war. But at home, his authoritarian style and the slow pace of political reform drew international criticism. Amnesty International accused his forces of killing hundreds in a presidential election in 1998, when he was declared the winner after the vote count was abruptly stopped.
The armed forces said Mr. Eyadema's son Faure would assume power. Under the constitution, the head of the National Assembly should assume provisional power following the death, but the armed forces chief said the action was taken to avoid a power vacuum since the head of the assembly was out of the country.
Source: New York Times
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