Egbenda Challenges Legal Basis of SLBA Electronic Registration Ahead of AGM

Egbenda Challenges Legal Basis of SLBA Electronic Registration Ahead of AGM

Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) presidential candidate Martina Baindu Egbenda has questioned the legal basis and implications of the Association’s electronic registration process ahead of its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM).

In a statement issued on 13 July, Egbenda acknowledged the Association’s authority to organise and administer its Annual Conference but questioned whether the electronic registration process could be tied to participation in the AGM, which she said is governed by the Companies Act and the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the SLBA.

“The notice raises important questions concerning the purpose, legal basis and effect of the electronic registration exercise,” she stated.

Egbenda argued that the Annual Conference and the AGM are separate events and should not be presented as though participation in one is dependent on participation in the other.

According to her, the Conference is an administrative event organised by the Executive, while the AGM is a statutory meeting where members exercise their rights, receive reports on the affairs of the Association, and hold leadership accountable.

“Attendance at the Conference and participation in the Annual General Meeting are therefore distinct matters and should not be presented as though one is dependent upon the other,” she said.

The presidential candidate also raised concerns over the use of electronic registration codes, stating that members had not been provided with adequate information on how the system operates or the safeguards in place to ensure transparency and credibility.

“These are not merely technical questions. They go directly to the transparency, credibility and integrity of the electoral process,” Egbenda said.

She further maintained that eligibility to participate in the affairs of the Association is already determined by the SLBA’s governing instruments and is based on members being fully paid up.

Referencing Article 32 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, Egbenda said payment records maintained through designated banking channels serve as the primary evidence of eligibility, while official receipts only acknowledge payments already made.

“The issuance of an official receipt merely acknowledges payment already made; it does not itself create eligibility,” she stated.

She argued that the Executive cannot introduce additional qualifications or procedural requirements outside those established by the Association’s governing instruments.

“The Directors cannot, by administrative notice or practice, impose additional qualifications or procedural requirements that are inconsistent with the governing instruments of the Association,” she said.

Egbenda called on the SLBA leadership to clarify whether the electronic registration process is intended only for attendance at the Annual Conference or whether it would also affect participation in the AGM and election of officers.

She said such clarification is necessary to maintain confidence in the process, remove uncertainty, and ensure members understand their rights and obligations ahead of the Association’s annual gathering.

The SLBA is scheduled to hold its 2026 Annual General Meeting on 31 July and 1 August.