Voters line up to cast ballots at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT).

Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency.

President Faure Gnassingbe voted early Saturday afternoon in Kara, 440 km north from Lome.

"I am confident," he said after leaving the polling station, basing this confidence on the "support" he had and on the "response" of the people to the proposals he made during the election campaign.

"Across the country, there have been a few minor incidents but overall everything is going well," said Mr. Gnassingbe, who is looking for a fourth while in power since 2005.

Faure Gnassingbe faces six candidates all from the opposition but among whom the former Prime Minister and ex-president of the National Assembly Agbeyome Messan Kodjo and the former leader of the opposition Jean-Pierre Fabre are considered like real challengers.

Leaving the office where he voted at 10:40 am in Lome, the candidate Agbeyome Kodjo indicated that he had noted a "strong mobilization" of the Togolese and that "the Togolese want change ".

For his part, Jean-Pierre Fabre voted at 9:30 am in a voting center near his home in Lome. "I am confident," he said after leaving the polling station.

In Lome, the country's capital, Xinhua met with voters in various polling centers who left their impressions after fulfilling their civic duty.

Kounte Kokouvi, 67, voted this morning at the polling center Public Primary School of the Camp, was delighted to have fulfilled his civic duty, stressing that he is a Togolese citizen and that it is his duty to vote.

Dorkass, 31, an e-commerce agent, for his part hailed the calm that reigns at the opening of the polling stations, declaring that he had voted for his candidate to allow him to "continue his project for the development of the Togo ".

"Everything went well," said Bote Bada, 35, a company employee, met at the Hounkpati polling center, claiming to have chosen his candidate on "the basis of promises and ideas advanced for the development of Togo".

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, nearly 3.6 million voters, including 348 in the diaspora, registered on the electoral roll are expected to express their choice in 9,389 polling stations.

A security system Force Security Presidential Election, comprising 10,000 police and gendarmerie elements, ensures the security of the electoral process.

According to a decree adopted on December 2019 by the Council of Ministers of the Togolese government, the polling stations are slated to close at 4:00 p.m. throughout the national territory.

A voter shows his inked finger after voting at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

Staff members of Togo's Independent National Electoral Commission count ballots at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

A voter casts his ballot at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

A staff member of Togo's Independent National Electoral Commission counts ballots at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

A voter looks for his name at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

Former Prime Minister and ex-president of the National Assembly Agbeyome Messan Kodjo (L) casts his ballot at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

Voters line up to cast ballots at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

Former leader of the opposition Jean-Pierre Fabre (C) waves to supporters in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 20, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

Voters line up to cast ballots at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)

 

Voters look for their names at a polling station in Lome, Togo, on Feb. 22, 2020. Togo's presidential election kicked off on Saturday at 7 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). Seven candidates, including the incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005 and is looking for a fourth term, compete for presidency. (Xinhua/Xiao Jiuyang)