Sierra Leone: Journalists union unveils election monitoring committee

By Kemo Cham

APA-Freetown (Sierra Leone) The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has unveiled a committee tasked with monitoring the media as part of an initiative designed to ensure an impartial reportage of this year’s general elections.

The media has for a long time been blamed for its role in frustrating Sierra Leone’s fledgling democracy, as some journalists and media practitioners are accused of bias reporting. Over the years the media has become so divided along the party political divide that it leaves very little room for reportage that helps the masses make informed decisions.

The SLAJ Media Monitoring and Review Committee, unveiled on Wednesday, is part of efforts to counter this trend, say the leadership of the journalist association. Through this donor funded initiative, it also will train some 50 journalists across the country on elections reporting.

The monitoring aspect involves reading, watching or listening to the editorial content of media sources and identifying, saving and analyzing contents.

The committee, explains Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah, SLAJ Secretary General, will collect data, analyse and report on media activities during the electoral cycle- before, during and after.

“During national elections the media is put on the spotlight. The public rely on us to provide relevant, accurate, fair, balanced and comprehensive information on the elections to enable them contribute to healthy elections debate and make informed choices,” said Nasrallah. He added that it’s on this basis that they established the Media Monitoring and Review Committee.

Members of the committee took an oath on behalf of the journalists community on Wednesday at a special ceremony in Freetown. They pledged to support no candidate or political party in the polls, and to maintain strict non-partisan position while reporting fairly. They shall also reject all favours offered to influence reporting of the electioneering process, according to the pledge.

“With Parliament now dissolved and no more opportunities to summon Elections Management Bodies at will with immediate effect, the Judiciary now becomes a critical spotlight in determining that elections are conducted within the precepts of the law. The accuracy and timely reporting on all of these issues by the media is therefore important for making or breaking this country,” says Marcella Samba-Sesay, Chairperson of the National Election Watch, a member of the pro-democracy consortium seeking free and fair elections.

KC/APA