Manifesto of the Candidacy of Mustapha Sesay for the SLAJ@40 Presidential Election
Introduction – This manifesto is the blueprint of my candidacy for the March 26, 2011 SLAJ Presidential Election, dubbed Vision 2011 – 2013. It is intended to serve as a roadmap which the next SLAJ National Executive will follow under my leadership.
These are tall goals from a tall and upright man who fully understands and appreciates the level of sacrifices needed and the gravity of the challenge in realising our dream for SLAJ. The task ahead is daunting and the unavoidability of the challenge and necessity of the sacrifice takes nothing for the difficulty of the same.
Therefore, before unveiling my 25-point principles to you please permit me to emphasise the need for you to vote in a very strong and resilient team. In that light, I implore all of you not only to vote for me as most of you have resolved, but also for other candidates with integrity who are not only competent and good team players, but also selfless in their service to SLAJ.
My candidacy symbolises victory: the victory of good over evil, right over wrong, peace over conflict, morality over immorality, justice over injustice, freedom over oppression, responsibility over irresponsibility, transparency over corruption and truth over falsehood. The continuation of my leadership strengthens that resolve. Together we shall reach the sky with SLAJ.
Rationale for contesting for president – The driving force behind my candidacy is my desire to serve you in the topmost position of our noble Association, having been popularly associated with SLAJ for well over 10 years.
I also feel compelled to arrest the downward indices that have had negative repercussion on our Association.
The indicators include:
- The Lack of transparency, accountability and probity in the management and administration of the Association;
- The high level of injustice and discrimination;
- The vindictive nature of the outgoing President who openly declared at a General Meeting in June 2010 that he would no longer work with me and continued to marginalise me despite the fact that he was compelled by the floor to withdraw the statement and apologise;
- The year-long animosity within the Association that has seriously weakened the media generally and the Association in particular.
Mission accomplished – In 2008, during my Declaration for the position of National Secretary General, I pledged among other things to create a Secretariat of Hope: ideal, vibrant and adequately resourced to effectively and efficiently meet the demands of SLAJ members and national development aspirations generally.
This was achieved in late 2009 when two separate but related proposals for a suitable office space, hall and resource facilities developed by me for SLAJ were approved and funded by the British High Commission and the United Nations Development Programme. These were complemented by the Chinese Embassy in Freetown. Parts of the funds were used to establish and partly furnish for the first time two regional SLAJ Secretariats in Makeni and Kenema and secure office spaces for three of our affiliates in Freetown.
Other significant accomplishments in 2009 included:
- Pro-activeness in the defence of press freedom and freedom of expression
- Establishment of a minimum wage for journalists in employment
- Lobbying towards upgrading the status of SLAJ to full member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
- Galvanising the support and cooperation of the younger folks
- Establishment of two Regional Secretariats in Makeni and Kenema
- Creating a web site for SLAJ for the first time in her 40-year history
- Negotiating with the National Telecommunication Commission (NATCOM) the reduction of licences fees for community radio stations
- Securing scholarship opportunities for three of our colleagues to China
- Defending our members who were being prosecuted and/or persecuted in the line of duty.
Though as Secretary General I was at the centre of these laudable achievements within a short period of time, I refuse to take full credit for them as it is habitual of bigot and self-centred politicians.
My vision for 2011 & beyond – I envision a SLAJ of hope: unified, vibrant, truly independent, well resourced and capacitated to meet the current and future institutional and national development aspirations and challenges.
The mission of my candidacy – The mission of my candidacy is to solicit and enlist the support of other like-minded colleagues to redeem SLAJ from the claws of repression, double standards and maladministration – which have reduced the Association to an “Animal Farm” of unfulfilled promises, unfinished projects, media arrogance and press releases – and to clearly define a new future of prosperity and hope for her.
The goal of my candidacy – The fundamental goal of my candidacy is to restore constitutionality and responsible leadership to SLAJ, and promote active participation by the membership in the programme and activities of the Association.
The conduit – Ladies and gentlemen, to realise the wishes and aspirations of each and every one of us for SLAJ, my executive will pursue the following principles and associated strategies:
1. Capacity Building:
a. Forge responsible institutional partnerships with Government, media interest and development stakeholders that will ensure adequate programme and institutional support to SLAJ, including thematic training especially on specialised reporting such as election, development, gender and media law and ethics.
b. Establish and administer a Scholarship Trust that will support colleagues pursuing higher professional training and skill enhancing programmes, especially women from deprived families in rural communities.
2. Decriminalising Libel:
a. Pursue diplomatic options including lobbying and advocacy geared towards the repeal of criminal and seditious libel legislations especially the 1965 Public Order Act in order to allow us practice freely our profession and put Sierra Leone in line with universal democratic trends.
b. Assist the Independent Media Commission (IMC) to popularise civil libel redress mechanisms and remedies.
c. Support the work of the IMC in regulating the media and helping to build their capacity.
3. The Right to Information:
a. Partner with the IMC and other strategic media stakeholders and public advocacy institutions to popularise the Sierra Leone Media Code of Practice, the SLAJ Code of Ethics and the overdue Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
b. Constantly monitor compliance by Government and the public with the provisions of these policies.
4. Addressing the Welfare of Journalists:
a. Popularise the Brookfields Declaration of the May 15 and 16, 2009 Media and Community Radio Stakeholders Meetings in Freetown, adopted at the 2009 Annual Genera Meeting in Makeni.
b. Influence/lobby media owners to legitimize and enforce the agreed minimum wage for journalists across the country.
c. Ensure that media owners/managers honour their licenses, tax and other obligations to SLAJ, the IMC, NASSIT, NATCOM and NRA and also demonstrate respect for labour laws.
5. The Unfinished SLAJ Website:
a. Secure funding to complete the design of the SLAJ web site which has been abandoned since May 2010, despite the fact that sufficient funding for the project was provided by a funding organisation.
b. Regularly update and make the SLAJ web site and Facebook more attractive and interactive.
c. Register SLAJ and help our affiliates register on other popular e-learning and other social and communication networks such as iEARN, Netlog, Skype and Twitter and online photo galleries such as Flickr.
6. Media & Public Relations:
a. Secure funding to regularly publish an institutional newsletter or magazine as a means of reducing the overburdened chain of organisational press releases issued by SLAJ, and more responsibly keep our membership and the public abreast with developments within the Association.
7. SLAJ 40th Anniversary:
a. Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of SLAJ in grand style at national as well as regional levels including the implementation of a National Legacy Project.
b. Produce an illustrated 40th Anniversary Calendar and a SLAJ@40 and Salone@50 souvenir magazine and other promotional materials to mark the 40th Anniversary of SLAJ on June 5, 2011 and reflect on Sierra Leone’s Golden Jubilee on April 27, 2011.
8. Media Freedom & Free Expression:
a. Establish a Distress Fund to provide legal aid and other forms of support to colleagues who had not used or advocated violence but are being prosecuted, and other victims of torture, harassment and intimidation or degrading treatment, for simply expressing their opinions.
b. Create an Annual Media Award for Courage and Resilience in Reporting comprising a scholarship package, which could either be administered independently or added to the chain of IMC Annual Media Awards.
9. Restoring the dignity of SLAJ:
a. Pursue the policies of fairness, transparency, accountability and conciliation throughout my tenure in office and dealings with compatriots, government, our partners, affiliates and the public.
b. Provide for debate and adoption management and financial reports with full disclosure of sources of funds and their disbursement and of SLAJ assets and liabilities, in a professional and timely fashion as constitutionally provided.
c. Strengthen the Disciplinary Committee and ensure effective mechanisms for conflict management and resolution.
d. Develop robust means of fundraising and the collection of membership subscriptions, including adding the “Collection of Dues” to the agenda of every General Meeting.
10. Membership:
a. Comprehensively review the membership ID System in the National Register and the registration, qualification and status of all SLAJ members with a view to regularising and/or updating their profiles.
b. Ensure that registration of new members is done only by a fully constituted Credentials Committee and such registration shall cease at least three months to the start of the 2013 Biennial Conference as provided for in Article 12.8 of the SLAJ Constitution.
11. The 2012 General Elections:
a. Secure programme funding and institutional support to train our colleagues in election and crisis reporting, media monitoring and reporting and survival tactics/crisis management during emergencies in preparedness for the 2012 General Elections.
12. Our Affiliates:
a. Fully support all affiliates legally registered with SLAJ including supporting the Sierra Leone Reporters Union (SLRU) to secure a bargaining certificate from Government on behalf of its members.
b. Continue to provide guidance and technical support to them including helping them to source funding through proposal development.
c. Ensure that the affiliate bodies pay their annual capitation fees to SLAJ regularly and in a timely fashion.
d. Imbibe respect for democratic principles and processes in these bodies.
e. Put to their disposal SLAJ facilities either free of cost or on cost recovery basis where necessary and appropriate.
f. Meeting our financial and other obligations to all of our international affiliates including the International Federation of Journalists – IFJ, the West Africa Journalists Association –WAJA and the Federation of African Journalists –FAJ, to which I am one of the founder members.
13. The SLAJ National Secretariat:
a. Restore the full status of the National Secretary General from a titular head to the administrative head of the Secretariat and put him/her on regular monthly stipend/allowance, with your approval.
b. Provide internet connectivity and other basic resources badly needed but none existent at the National Secretariat.
c. Engage government, media interest and development stakeholders on the need for an own Secretariat for SLAJ.
14. Regional Offices:
a. Establish a Regional Secretariat in Bo for the southern region.
b. Capacitate the SLAJ Secretariat which we established in Kenema and Makeni in 2009 through the provision of equipment, technical support and training.
15. The SLAJ Constitution:
a. Comprehensively review the SLAJ Constitution, which was last reviewed ten years ago, make it available free of cost to all legally registered members and accessible to non-SLAJ members on cost-recovery basis.
16. Integrating ICTs:
a. Source funding to conduct basic training in the use of computers and computer technology resources and software applications.
b. Engage more journalists in social networking and civic activism.
c. Secure a seat at the Sierra Leone National ICT Council for SLAJ.
17. Lectures Series & Symposia:
a. Source adequate support to be hosting public lecture series, debates and symposia in an organised fashion with journalists/media personnel as the primary targets.
18. Reunification of Members:
a. Reconcile and reunify SLAJ members into a single family with shared values, instead of being an arena for power struggles and divisiveness.
19. Addressing Partisan Tendencies:
a. Discourage partisan tendencies in the media through constructive dialogue and other forms of engagements.
20. Partnerships:
a. Forge strategic partnerships with our affiliates, Government and other development partners – local and international.
b. Active involvement in all non-partisan and development oriented government-led or affiliate initiatives.
21. Promoting Equal Opportunities:
a. Promote gender equality in the media by mainstreaming women and their issues.
b. Prioritise the registration of more competent and qualified female media practitioners with SLAJ.
c. Seek ways to enhance the capacity of WIMSAL in the implementation of their Strategic Plan, launched recently.
22. The SLAJ Unfinished Projects
a. Review all unfinished/ongoing projects of the Umaru Fofana regime including the national Media Learning Needs Assessment, with a view to streamlining and completing the realistic ones and reviewing/terminating the overambitious ones.
23. Galvanising Sub-committees:
a. Ensure that elected/appointed members of SLAJ Sub-Committees are fully functional and report regularly and comprehensively on their activities as and when legally provided for or necessary.
b. Make the disciplinary committee more proactive and responsible.
24. SLAJ Emissaries to Public Institutions:
a. Ensure that SLAJ emissaries to Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies are appointed and recalled fairly using clearly defined procedures.
b. Guarantee security of tenure for them in order to prevent them from being unceremoniously recalled from their assignments.
c. Ensure that they provide regular reports/updates to SLAJ.
25. Neutralising Injustice & Impunity:
a. As a polyvalent teacher, professional journalist and activist, I will, as I have always been, continue to challenge unfairness and inequality within SLAJ in whatever form and do my utmost in neutralising all forms of campaigns of calumny against me, SLAJ or any member of the association, however sustained they might be.
Finally, at a moment like this as in 2008 when I declared my intention to contest for the position of National Secretary General, I believe that certain aspirants will attempt to influence you with financial rewards or exceptional gifts – if they have already not done so. But as in 2008, I still urge you neither to surrender nor sell your votes to them.
However, if you can not resist their temptations, then accept their offers in bad faith, and when you face the ballot box on polling day, vote for people with integrity and the time and energy to serve you; those who will not wait until elections before extending such gestures to you.
I thank you all for your attention. May the good Lord and your conscience again guide you to put the interest of SLAJ above yours and re-invest your trust in me, this time for the highest office in our association – the Presidency.
The future of the media depends upon us and the eyes of the masses are upon us; we must not disappoint them.
March 2011
QUOTE: “…I want to thank my executive, especially my Secretary General who has always been available whenever called upon and has been very selfless. This is why I would like us [the delegates] at this AGM to discuss the need to put the Secretary General [Mustapha Sesay] on a salary…” – Opening Remarks at the 2009 SLAJ Annual General Meeting in Makeni by the SLAJ President, Umaru Fofana
by Mustapha Sesay
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