Following the pending election of the Sierra Leone Reporters Union- SLRU slated for the 20th July, 2024 in Freetown, the Chief Electoral Commissioner-SLAJ, Zainab Iyamide Joaque released the list of nominees for the SLRU National and Regional Elections in the country.

Below are the names of nominees for the national and regional executive positions cut across the country.

For the seat of National President, Samuel Ibrahim Koroma of the Africa Young Voices and Yeanor Esther Kabia of Radio Democracy 98.1 have been nominated.

For Vice Presidency, Zainab Sunkary Koroma of Star Television.

For the National Secretary General, Foday Moriba Conteh of Calabash Newspaper and Ronald Joe Morovia of Africa Young Voices.

For the Financial Secretary, Massah Nyanga of Rise Radio

For the Public Relations Officer, Jonathan Turner of SLBC.

For the Eastern Regional Representative position, Mamadu Bailor Bah of Starline Radio and Susan Kumba Kamanda of Top Radio.

For the Northern Regional Representative, Florence Umu Kanu-Bah of Radio Mankneh

For the Southern Regional Representative no nominee was presented.

The Chief Electoral Commissioner also revealed that the Commission have not accepted the nomination of some members based on the fact that all four nominees are not SLAJ members thereby violating the Rules and Regulations on the Conduct of the SLRU Elections published on June 27th, 2024. The four members are; Patricia Kabia of Rise Radio who aspired for  the position of Financial Secretary, Alfie Barrie of Epic Radio who applied for the position of Public Relations Officer, Moses Oju Kamara of Star Radio who applied for the position of Organising Secretary and Mohamed Aruna of VOTE FM who applied for the position of Regional Representative –East.

Referencing the rules, the commissioner noted that “To be eligible to be nominated, a candidate MUST have been REGISTERED to vote in the July 20, 2024 Election.

Only those who have REGISTERED for the said elections are qualified to

NOMINATE and WITNESS a candidate’s Nomination Form.

To be eligible to contest the Candidate MUST be a registered SLA] member at the time of nomination” she stated

The commission furthered that, Patricia Kabia and Alfie Barrie were also nominated by individuals whose names were not on the Registered Voters List at the time of nomination.

The commission in the release have also called on all nominees and their supporters to suspend all campaign and related activities until the stipulated period, which is Monday, 8th July, 2024 – Friday 19th July, 2024, adding that, Campaign activities are acceptable only after the petition window has closed and nominees have been endorsed as candidates which is inline with the Rules and Regulations on the Conduct of the SLRU Elections, petition of nominees should be done within 72 hours of the publication of the list of nominees for the said election.