Benin’s National Assembly held its first ordinary session of 2024 on Monday with several issues to pinned for consideration, among them a bill of amnesty to political figures.

The bill, proposed by MPs from the opposition Democratic Party, will mainly benefit opposition politicians Reckya Madougou and academic Joël Aïvo.

The former Benin Minister of Justice was sentenced to 20 years in prison for “financing terrorism” while Professor Joël Aïvo was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for “money laundering and conspiracy against the authority of the State”.

The bill was however rejected yesterday by the National Assembly after it was thrown out by the Law Commission in January.

Here is Virgile Ahouanse, a Beninese political analyst.