The African Bar Association (AFBA) has expressed deep concern over the disputed 2024 elections for the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) Executive Committee.
Reports have emerged of sudden changes to the agenda of the Annual General Meeting and Conference, along with claims of electoral misconduct.
“We have received conflicting reports about abrupt modifications to the conference agenda and elections that seemingly violated established regulations,” stated Hannibal Uwaifo, President of the AFBA.
He emphasized that these actions led to the disenfranchisement of many SLBA members.
The AFBA’s Secretariat also acknowledged a statement from former SLBA presidents, who voiced their dissatisfaction with the election’s irregularities.
The AFBA echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of an independent bar for the upholding of the rule of law, democracy, and good governance.
“An independent and responsible bar is the voice of the judiciary and the voiceless citizens. It is imperative that the SLBA exemplifies these values by ensuring a transparent and credible transition where leaders are genuinely chosen by the majority of Sierra Leone’s lawyers,” Uwaifo remarked.
In light of these issues, the AFBA called for calm and urged the outgoing SLBA Executive to collaborate with past presidents and other relevant legal authorities to resolve the situation.
“We appeal for calm and urge the outgoing Executive to work with past presidents and other relevant authorities to heal divisions and create a united, resentment-free Bar Association,” Uwaifo added.
The AFBA’s intervention highlights the critical role of legal institutions in maintaining democratic integrity and the rule of law in Sierra Leone.
