Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) Presidential candidate, Martina Baindu Egbenda, has challenged the fairness of the association’s election postponement, arguing that members should not be locked out of payment opportunities while the executive takes extra time to verify records.
The SLBA announced it was delaying its Annual General Meeting and elections – previously scheduled for 5 and 6 June 2026 – citing “logistical and other challenges beyond the control of the Directors.”
But Ms Egbenda, who is running for the association’s presidency, has issued a detailed response questioning both the timing of the decision and the consistency of the association’s rules on membership payments.
‘Why should payment remain closed?’
Ms Egbenda noted that the postponement notice revealed the Treasurer would use the additional period to verify payments and reconcile records with the bank in order to determine which members are “fully paid-up” and therefore eligible to vote.
She argued that if the association now requires more time to complete its verification, fairness demands that members should also be given an opportunity to regularise their status.
“If the election date remains unknown, why should members who wish to pay their subscriptions and regularise their records be prevented from doing so?” she asked.
She added: “The original payment deadline was tied to an election timetable. That timetable has now been suspended. In those circumstances, it is difficult to understand the basis upon which payment opportunities should remain closed while verification processes continue.”
Eligibility rules under scrutiny
The presidential candidate also raised concerns over recent public statements suggesting that only “fully paid-up members without arrears” will be eligible to vote.
She pointed to the association’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, which provides that only “fully paid up members” may contest or vote.
“Members are entitled to know precisely how eligibility will be determined, what criteria are being applied, and the legal basis upon which those criteria rest,” she said.
Ms Egbenda called on the executive to use the postponement as an opportunity to restore confidence by providing clarity on payment verification and ensuring no member is unfairly excluded from participation.
Contradiction over preparedness
Ms Egbenda also highlighted what she described as a noteworthy contradiction. Only a day before the postponement, the association’s Public Relations Officer publicly assured members that the executive was fully prepared for the elections.
“What makes this development particularly noteworthy is that only a day earlier, the Public Relations Officer publicly assured members that the executive was fully prepared for the elections,” she said. “The subsequent postponement inevitably raises questions that deserve clear and candid answers.”
‘The membership deserves nothing less’
Concluding her statement, Ms Egbenda emphasised the importance of transparent and fair processes.
“The Sierra Leone Bar Association is at its strongest when its processes are transparent, its decisions are clearly explained, and its members are treated fairly,” she said. “The membership deserves nothing less.”
No new date announced
The SLBA has not yet announced a new date for the postponed AGM and elections, and has not publicly responded to Ms Egbenda’s questions.
