Lome Calm And Empty After Presidential Polls

A Day after the people of Togo cast their votes towards electing a president, the usually very busy streets in Lome, the capital remain generally very quiet and empty.


During a visit to the market centre and a drive through the capital Sunday morning the Daily Graphic team covering the election observed there were virtually no trading activities, as traders tried to monitor the situation before engaging in their normal business activities.

Shops still remained closed even in areas where there normally would have been some business activities going on.

Commercial vehicles which usually would have been seen all over the streets, were unusually seen  parked.

It was only in a few places that some very small scale activities were going on.

A few traders had displayed their wares at some parts of the market, but sales had been very low.

Some women who initially had expressed fear in talking to the Graphic said everybody was anxious to hear the results.

Madam  Madeleine da Silveira and Madam Houedo Ayele Antivi  told the Daily Graphic that  they had come to sell their wares,  but were still being careful and observing the situation.
 
They said most of their colleagues had not come to the market because they were not sure of the behaviour of some electorates after the results were released.

They also admitted that others had gone to church and some decided not to go anywhere and just stay at home to wait for results of the elections.

Other male traders said they thought the voting exercise had ended and they needed to sell their products.

On the beach road, where restaurants and shops would normally have been full and very busy, not much activity was going on.