Stellio Gilles Robert Capo-Chichi, popularly known as Kémi Séba, is a pan-African politician and activist in Benin who has announced his intention to run for president in the April 2026 election.
Mr. Séba issued a harsh condemnation of President Patrice Talon’s administration in a ten-minute video speech that was posted on his social media accounts on January 5.
He charged that President Talon gave considerable favours to foreign companies while fostering an unfriendly atmosphere for local business owners.
Benin’s electoral code requires presidential candidates to be sponsored by at least 28 elected officials, such as mayors or members of parliament. Independent candidacies are not permitted.
Kémi Séba outlined three potential strategies to navigate these legal and political barriers:
▪︎ Support from the Opposition Party: Séba hopes to secure the backing of the opposition party Les Démocrates, led by former president Boni Yayi, which has the necessary endorsements to field a candidate.
▪︎ Electoral Code Reform: If the first option fails, he plans to rally a broad coalition to demand a revision of what he calls a “corrupt” electoral code designed to exclude genuine opposition figures.
▪︎ Operation Jericho: Séba’s final strategy, described as the most critical, involves a tripartite approach he calls Operation Jericho. This strategy combines mass mobilization, popular protest, and decisive action from key stakeholders to reclaim power for the people.
The 2026 elections in Benin will feature presidential, legislative, and local elections. Six months prior to the election, in October 2025, presidential candidates must submit their applications.
Throughout his second and final term in office, President Patrice Talon has made it clear that he has no plans to change the constitution in order to run for reelection.
