Martina Baindu Egbenda Elected President of Sierra Leone Bar Association Unopposed
Deborah Sorie Martina Baindu Egbenda has been elected President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) unopposed at the Association’s annual general meeting in Freetown on Monday, 26 October 2026.
Egbenda, who doubles as Sierra Leone’s Administrator and Registrar-General, emerged as the sole presidential candidate following months of uncertainty surrounding the Bar Association’s leadership and election process.
She had announced her intention to contest the presidency earlier this year under a campaign focused on uniting the legal profession. Her candidacy was reported in the lead-up to the Association’s elections.
The election was held at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Bintumani, Aberdeen, as part of the Association’s annual general meeting.
The vote followed the establishment of a five-member caretaker body in August to oversee the Association’s affairs and organise new elections after an earlier attempt to hold the annual general meeting was disrupted.
The election process had also been affected by disputes over membership eligibility and the voters’ register. A provisional list published ahead of Monday’s meeting did not include outgoing President Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara, who had been seeking a second term.
The caretaker body subsequently set eligibility requirements in line with a High Court order, including proof of payment of membership subscriptions and conference fees.
Egbenda’s election marks a change in leadership at the professional body representing lawyers in Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone Bar Association plays a role in promoting professional standards, protecting the interests of legal practitioners and contributing to discussions on justice and the rule of law.