After a decade at the helm of Benin, President Patrice Talon is preparing to hand over power this Sunday, 24 May 2026. As farewells and stock-taking begin in the capital, the outgoing leader chaired his final cabinet meeting on Wednesday, while government spokesman Wilfried Houngbédji faced journalists for one last press conference — touching on sacked radio staff, a defiant defence of Talon’s political record, and a refusal to call imprisoned opponents “political prisoners.”
The first item on the agenda: the dismissal of 169 employees of the state-run Radio and Television of Benin (SRTB), which took effect on 13 May 2026.
Houngbédji referred journalists to the broadcaster’s management for detailed explanations but expressed regret that those affected were informed only at the very last moment.
“Humanely, it is deplorable,” he acknowledged.
‘We don’t have 500 years of democracy’ — Talon’s record defended
