SLAJ Seeks Constitutional Safeguards for Press Freedom and Free Speech
Aminata Koroma The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) is preparing to lobby for a proposed stand-alone chapter on press freedom and free speech to be included in the country’s national Constitution.
The association’s next steps follow a stakeholders’ validation exercise on Friday, 23 October 2026, where media experts, civil society representatives, legal practitioners and other participants reviewed and validated the proposed Chapter 12.
SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara said the association had engaged the Office of the Attorney-General, the Minister of Information and Civic Education, and other relevant stakeholders to advance the proposal. If adopted, he said, the chapter would explicitly protect press freedom and freedom of expression, while helping strengthen public trust in the media and democratic institutions.
Participants urged SLAJ and its partners to build wider support for the proposal through lobbying and public awareness. Augustine S. James, representing the Media Reform Coordinating Group, called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders and engagement with partners to advocate for the chapter’s inclusion in the ongoing constitutional review.
The proposed protections should cover digital and new media as well as traditional outlets, participants said, citing changes in the media landscape.
Women in the Media Sierra Leone President Eastina Taylor-Tucker said constitutional safeguards could help female journalists work freely, safely and independently amid the challenges women face in the profession.
Ransford Wright, Coordinator of the Independent Radio Network, said the process began under the Justice Cowan-led Constitutional Review Committee. He described reaching validation as an achievement for both the media fraternity and citizens, while warning that political will would be essential to securing adoption.
BBC Media Action Project Manager Alphaso Kamara called for collective responsibility in protecting press freedom, adding that it should go hand in hand with responsible journalism. He said a free and independent media contributes to good governance and national development.
The validation exercise was led by Paul Kamara, Esq., with technical guidance from Dr. Isaac Massaquoi, who conducted a desk review to inform the strategic media campaign.