Benin’s Catholic Bishops Observe “fever of general elections” after Attempted Coup, Urge “democratic maturity”

The January 11 parliamentary elections were held weeks after a deadly coup attempt by soldiers on December 7. The planned coup was reportedly thwarted with the support of the Nigerian air force and French Special Forces.

The ouster would have been the ninth in the region in the last five years alone, following successful ones in Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Meanwhile, President Talon has reportedly confirmed he will not be seeking a third term in the April 12 elections.

In the statement that was shared with ACI Africa on Wednesday, January 14, the Catholic Bishops in Benin addressed social concerns in the country, including a rise in poverty levels and insecurity.

They said, “The bishops of Benin are deeply moved and concerned by the difficult living conditions that many men and women continue to experience, suffering daily from declining purchasing power.”

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The Catholic Church leaders particularly paid attention to the situation of rural populations facing scarce rainfall in certain regions, as well as the difficulties in selling food products, despite what they described as the “courageous and often heroic efforts of farmers.”

“Sensitive to the suffering of these families and in solidarity with their trials, the Bishops express their deep compassion and raise their prayers to the Lord, in the hope of better days, for hope does not disappoint,” the Catholic Church leaders said, and called on all Beninese to show solidarity “so that everyone can live in the dignity desired by God.”

On the security front, Benin’s Catholic Bishops expressed their “deep concern” about the increase in accidents on roads.

They cautioned that “life is a precious gift from God and that everyone has a duty to preserve their own life and that of others.”

CEB members called on citizens to a collective awareness and urged the government authorities and the security forces to play their respective roles in preserving lives.

They further stressed the importance of always raising awareness, in order to establish a culture of caution to protect human lives and to prevent tragedies on roads.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.