18 journalists shortlisted for US embassy fellowship

By Kemo Cham

The US embassy in Freetown last week unveiled a shortlist of 18 journalists as part of a new media fellowship programme announced last month.

The shortlisted journalists were each given the equivalent of US$400 during a brief orientation ceremony at the embassy’s complex at Hill Station on Thursday. The journalists were drawn from both print and the electronic media.

Four members of the editorial team of Politico are among those whose pitches were selected by a special panel of judges appointed by the embassy. Other shortlisted candidates come from Awoko newspaper, the Standard Times, Star Radio, CTN, Sky Radio, Blade newspaper, among others.

Airtel boss assures new owners will honour media awards

By Kemo Cham

Despite the imminent change in ownership of the telco Airtel, all its current agreements will be honored by the new owners, Managing Director of Airtel Sierra Leone, Oladapo Olusope, has said.

He was speaking at the presentation of cheques to journalists who won awards as part of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalist (SLAJ) Media Awards competition.

Eight journalists in all won in various categories in the 2015/2016 SLAJ/Airtel Annual Media Awards. They were presented their cheques at a ceremony held at the Association’s Headquarters in Freetown recently. The awardees had been revealed at the awards dinner held in Bo early this month. It’s sponsored by Airtel Sierra Leone, which is one of three subsidiaries of the India-based conglomerate Bharti Airtel sold earlier this year to the French telecom giant Orange.

After the Bo SLAJ triennial

By Kemo Cham

At the end Kelvin Lewis emerged winner of the weekend’s much anticipated Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) presidential race.

The process leading to the elections day on Saturday June 4 had indeed been bruising on the image of the association. The campaigns occasionally assumed an ugly shape and most of the people I had time to talk to had issues mostly with how the supporters’ of Stanley Bangura, Kelvin’s only challenger, carried themselves.

It must however be said that not all of Stanley’s supporters were engaged in the abusive banter. In fact only a fraction of them was. But, obviously, the impact of their actions on his dream to head the association has been far-reaching. I wonder though if Stanley himself sees things this way.

Face-off, Sierra Leone journalists vote

By Kemo Cham

Next week members of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) will gather in Bo, southern Sierra Leone, as part of its Triennial General Meeting. Based on a rotational policy, the last elective congress was held in Kenema, in the east. Before then it was Makeni, north of the country.

This event will be unique for many reasons, but most importantly because the association is set to elect a new leadership, yet again, after three years. The elections are coming at a time when the umbrella journalist body is faced with hordes of issues. The well publicized internal friction at the executive committee has clearly made it difficult for the leadership to pay full attention to its responsibilities.

Incumbent President Kelvin Lewis is going for his second and final term of another three years. He is being challenged by his vice president, Stanley Bangura Jnr.

That the two men are facing each other somehow indicates the level of division within. And that both didn’t mince their words on the issues that set them apart is even more concerning.

Interview: Why Kelvin Lewis for SLAJ President

Sierra Leone journalists vote on 3 June this year for a new executive. Two people are running for presidentK- incumbent Kelvin Lewis and his Vice President Stanley Bangura. Kemo Cham talked to the two presidential contenders who spoke about their plans for the next three years, if elected. They also responded to accusations and made counter-accusations. Here is Mr Lewis: 

Politico:  You have been at the helm of affairs at SLAJ for the last three year. How much of your pre-election plans would you say you have fulfilled? What are these?

Kelvin: I would say l have fulfilled practically all of them. My first task was to bring unity because l inherited an association which seems to be falling apart because of election disagreements and some people had gone and were not associating themselves anymore. So as I went around the country. A lot of people said ‘you are talking about unity can you bring back two people – David Tam Bayoh and Philip Neville, so [that] they can participate in the activities of the association?’

That I have achieved. If anybody was at the world press freedom day, you will see that David Tam Bayoh was one of the participants and of course Philip Neville

Interview: Why Stanley Bangura for SLAJ President

Sierra Leone journalists vote on 3 June this year for a new executive. Two people are running for presidentK- incumbent Kelvin Lewis and his Vice President Stanley Bangura. Kemo Cham talked to the two presidential contenders who spoke about their plans for the next three years, if elected. They also responded to accusations and made counter-accusations. Here is Mr Bangura: 

Politico: Why are you running for president of SLAJ?

Stanley: My decision to run for the presidency is informed by so many things; first among them is the fact that SLAJ needs leadership that can uphold the constitution.

As it is, if you read Article 15 of our constitution, which talks about regional branches; that section talks about the autonomy of the regions, which requires the region to run independently, mobilize their resources, expend them and contribute or pay 25% of whatever they collect from the regions. But what we are seeing now is an attempt to micro-manage the regions. And having served as regional chairman for two consecutive terms, we had a situation where the regions ran themselves and only account during annual general meetings. And now the president is saying all monies should be paid into one account, which implies that if the region needs a chalk they would have to write the headquarters in Freetown for it.

Sierra Leone Govt warns foreign journalists

Mohamed Bangura, Minister of Information and Communication

The Sierra Leone government has announced a new policy aimed at regulating the operation of foreign media practitioners in the country.

The Ministry of Information and Communication said Tuesday henceforth all foreign media practitioners must obtain an accreditation to engage in any work in the country. Information Minister Mohamed Bangura said the move is meant to protect both the image of the country and the visiting media practitioners.

A statement signed by his deputy, Cornelius Deveaux, said the ministry had realized that foreign media practitioners came into the country “under the gist” of carrying out professional journalistic activities without going through the proper channels. It added that these foreign media practitioners, aided by local journalists, go around the place filming and taking pictures of slums and other unpleasant areas without talking to the authorities.

“At the end of the day they produce reports that paint a negative picture of the country, its people and the government, at a time when all efforts are being made to rebrand the country,” the statement reads.

Journalists and other media practitioners wanting to visit Sierra Leone will now be required to first write a letter to the Information Ministry explaining the intent and purpose of their assignment in the country, and accompany such a letter with a photocopy of their passport and two passport-sized photos.

The statement also ordered all foreign media practitioners currently in the country to report to the Deputy Minister within the next 48 hours of the announcement of this message.