After a presidential election marked by the systematic imprisonment of each opponent, and a victory with 87% of the vote, Beninese President Patrice Talon was sworn in on May 23.
This Sunday, May 23, the President of Benin Patrice Talon was officially invested for another five-year term. His country, once celebrated as an example of democracy in the sub-region, has been the scene of a most tragic presidential campaign. Indeed, the armed forces had arrested each opponent of Talon. A majority have been accused of "terrorism and attempting to destabilize the state".
However, some opponents whose candidacy was rejected by the National Autonomous Commission (CENA) were still put in irons. For those, Talon waited a few hours after the proclamation of his victory. The few opposition activists who have been able to slip through the cracks are in exile. President Patrice Talon will have another five-year term, therefore. He presented ambitious plans during the ceremony. It would remain to be seen whether they can be achieved.
My swearing-in this Sunday, May 23, 2021 at the Charles de Gaulle stadium in Porto-Novo. pic.twitter.com/jJnNAD4wIy
- Patrice TALON (@PatriceTalonPR) May 23, 2021
Patrice Talon's successes?
The Beninese Head of State presented, during his swearing in, the main lines of its projects for the country. Patrice Talon announced that he would build on the “achievements” of his first term. He believes that Benin has managed to mark a development in several sectors. Namely in infrastructure, agriculture, industry and finance. On one of these aspects, Benin has effectively taken its head out of the water. It is true that the ambitious asphalting project is making great strides.
In addition to this small victory, as well as a relative success in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, the State of Benin remains to be pitied. Unemployment, food insecurity, sovereign debt, foreign entrism and human rights abuses have been aggravated by the governance of Patrice Talon.
The former cotton tycoon also praised his security record. The country is, indeed, surrounded by Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. In these three neighboring territories, the terrorist threat is rife, and Benin seems relatively spared.
We don't like opponents in Benin
The immediate concern in Benin then remains political rights. Since the start of Patrice Talon's mandate, opponents have been arrested one by one. The first was the candidate for the 2016 election, Sébastien Adjavon, sentenced in 2018 to 20 years in prison. The latter went into exile in France. Then, on March 1, 2021, Mamadou Tidjani, Bio Dramane Tidjani and Reckya Madougou were arrested. A few days later, they were charged with "criminal conspiracy and terrorism".
Asked about these arrests, and the other dozens of acts of repression, Talon answered half-heartedly. During his last media appearance, where he was interviewed by the French state media, he quickly justified these arrests by a need to prevent violence. However, this preventive act could mean decades of imprisonment for opponents. Government spokesman Alain Orounla said: “There is no hunt for the opponent. This is to discourage any act of violence or appeal to incivism. ", he said.
We are therefore very far from terrorism, the destabilization of the State or the association of criminals. In view of what the exiled opposition considers injustices, this new five-year term of Talon is marred by almost criminal political repression. Demonstrations were organized last Tuesday and Thursday and dozens of demonstrators were attacked by the police. Could this be a continuing post-election crisis?
It is made of the same wood as the ADOs & others Patrice Talon. We feed them and we bleach them, we prepare them and we offer them trays despite their lack of culture and the irrelevance of their project and vision… Then one day, they are imposed on you & your misfortune begins…
- OURA N'guessan Dominique (@OuraDominique) May 23, 2021