Parliament amends electoral law

The National Assembly of Togo has amended the country's elec toral law to extend the tenure of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( CENI).

But the country's two major opposition parties - the Union of the Forces of Chan ge (UFC) and the Action Committee for Renewal (CAR) - boycotted the session, in L ome on Tuesday, to protest against the amendment.The amendment extends the tenure of CENI members until a new electoral body is a ppointed.

UFC and CAR have condemned the "attempt to permanently keep the current members of the CENI", but the government explained that the purpose of the amendments is to enable the Commission to start preparing for the next elections.