By 
By Kelvin Jay
The Presidential battle for the hottest seat in the Sierra Leone Bar Association has been closely associated with the internal politics of the ruling SLPP. Many independent lawyers interviewed by this press believe that the current political stalemate within the Bar is between two factions—the Ebema Camp and the Radical Inclusion Camp.
According to them, Team Martina belongs to the Ebema Camp, while Team Tuma Jabbi is aligned with the Radical Inclusion Camp. They said Team Martina is campaigning under the banner of uniting the Bar, whereas Team Tuma Jabbi is running on a platform of continuity, arguing that she should be given the opportunity to build on the work she has already started to strengthen the Association.
Before contesting for the Presidency, Tuma Jabbi and Martina Baindu Egbenda were close allies and worked together when Tuma was elected President during the Bar Association elections in Kenema. Whether that relationship has since deteriorated remains unclear, but both women have now emerged as rivals for the Association’s highest office.
To cut a long story short, as events continue to unfold, the political atmosphere surrounding the Bar Presidency has become increasingly tense. Allegations and suspicions of possible election manipulation surfaced after Team Martina filed a matter before the court, which subsequently ordered that:
• The Executive must publish the full list of members who have paid their registration, subscription, and conference fees, making them eligible to participate in the Annual General Meeting (AGM), no later than 29 July 2026.
• Voter eligibility shall be determined solely by verified bank payment slips for payments made on or before 29 May 2026.
• Elections for the new Executive must strictly comply with the provisions of the Sierra Leone Bar Association’s Memorandum and Articles of Association.
• Access to the AGM venue shall be granted exclusively on the basis of verified bank payment slips, with no alternative forms of verification accepted.
• The Executive must provide the plaintiff and all members with the Association’s audited financial statements and bank records covering 1 May 2024 to 1 June 2026 by 30 July 2026.
Lawyers familiar with the matter alleged that Team Tuma Jabbi was unwilling to fully comply with aspects of the court order, particularly the requirement that voter eligibility be determined solely through verified bank payment slips.
Rumours circulating within legal circles also suggest that Team Martina had already secured records of 528 verified bank payment slips belonging to eligible voters, a figure said to differ from the number reportedly published by Team Tuma’s camp.
As a result of the disagreement, the current Executive proceeded with plans to hold the AGM at the Bintumani Conference Centre. However, the meeting was disrupted after the Sierra Leone Police prevented members from accessing the venue. The Regional Commander for Freetown West, AIG Sylvester Koroma, reportedly described the situation as arising from “circumstances beyond our control.”
The police action did not sit well with Team Tuma Jabbi, whose supporters accused the Government of interfering in the affairs and electoral process of the Bar Association.
The Association’s Public Relations Officer, Alfred Kamanda, publicly expressed disappointment over the incident and immediately announced his decision not to seek another term as PRO. He stated that what he witnessed on Friday convinced him that even if the elections proceeded, there would be no positive outcome.
Later on Friday evening, Team Martina hosted a meet-and-greet session for lawyers at Chapter One Restaurant, where members of the camp expressed confidence of emerging victorious in the election.
During the gathering, one of Team Martina’s candidates for the position of Public Relations Officer jokingly remarked that while Alfred Kamanda had resigned and shed tears over the events, Tuma Jabbi had not done the same. The comment drew laughter from supporters in attendance, who expressed optimism that Team Martina would take over the leadership of the Sierra Leone Bar Association.
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