Post a comment 
The sudden postponement of the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) has drawn sharp criticism from presidential candidate Martina Baindu Egbenda, who is now calling for clarity from the executive and an extension for members to regularize their dues.
The SLBA issued a notice on June 1, 2026, abruptly delaying the AGM and executive elections originally slated for June 5 and 6, citing “logistical and other challenges beyond the control of the Directors.”
In a press release issued on June 1, Egbenda challenged the SLBA Executive’s justification for the delay, noting that members are entitled to seek clarification on the specific circumstances that necessitated the decision.
Egbenda highlighted a glaring contradiction in the association’s communications, pointing out that just one day prior to the postponement, the SLBA Public Relations Officer had publicly assured members that the Executive was fully prepared to conduct the elections.
“The subsequent postponement inevitably raises questions that deserve clear and candid answers from those entrusted with the administration of the Association,” Egbenda stated in her release.
A major point of contention centers on the SLBA’s financial verification process. In its postponement notice, the SLBA indicated that its Treasurer would use the resulting delay to verify payments and reconcile bank records to determine the final eligibility of fully paid-up members.
Egbenda argued that this admission directly validates concerns raised by many members in recent weeks. She noted that the SLBA had previously imposed strict payment deadlines on its members, justifying the urgency by pointing to the imminent elections. Members were repeatedly warned that their eligibility to participate depended entirely on meeting those tight deadlines.
Egbenda is now arguing that because the election timetable has been suspended and the Executive requires more time for its own verifications, fairness dictates that the payment window for members should be reopened.
“If additional time is necessary for the Association to complete its verification process, then fairness requires consideration of whether members should likewise be afforded an opportunity to continue regularising their status, particularly where no new election date has yet been announced,” Egbenda argued.
She concluded that it is “difficult to understand the basis upon which payment opportunities should remain closed while verification processes continue.”
The SLBA Executive has not yet announced a new date for the AGM or responded publicly to Egbenda’s demands regarding the payment deadlines.
