REPORT OF POPULARIZATION OF THE IMC ELECTIONS COVERAGE AND REPORTING REGULATIONS, 2022.

REPORT OF POPULARIZATION OF THE IMC ELECTIONS COVERAGE AND REPORTING REGULATIONS, 2022.

MAKENI CITY, MONDAY, 3^RD APRIL 2023.

 

1. Introduction:

On Monday, 3^rd April 2022, managers from the various radio stations operating in the Northern Region, a team of Commissioners and staff of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) as well as staff of the International IDEA converged at the Hotel Conteh U in Makeni for the purpose of popularizing the IMC Elections Coverage and Reporting Regulations, 2022.

The event in Makeni is part of a nationwide exercise undertaken at the regional level to educate media gatekeepers and other elections stakeholders on the new regulation guiding the conduct of elections in Sierra Leone.

In his welcome remarks, Commissioner Ing. Dr. Samba Sesay who deputized for the IMC Chairman, Dr. Victor Massaquoi thanked the participants for attending the programme and told them that the main purpose of the one-day event is to explain the provisions of the IMC Elections Coverage and Reporting Regulations. He reminded that the contents and/or provisions of the Elections Coverage and Reporting Regulations was informed by journalists across the country through nation-wide consultations and subsequent validation of the documents before that IMC took it to the Law Officers’ Department at the Ministry of Justice for the document to be drafted into Regulation and subsequently laid before Parliament for approval as required by law. He therefore expressed optimism that the provisions contained in the Regulations would be respected and abided to by journalists across the country.

Commissioner Sesay also thanked the European Union and International IDEA for funding the popularization exercise and midwifing the process, respectively.

On his part, the Vice President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) who was also the SLAJ Acting President at the time, Mr. Sahr Bangah buttressed the statement made by Commissioner Samba Sesay, noting that the provisions of the Elections Coverage and Reporting Regulations did not come from the blues but that they were informed by the nationwide participation of journalists and almost all media stakeholders in the country.  The SLAJ Acting President admonished his colleague journalists to pay attention to the session and to make it a challenged that they would abide by the provisions of the Regulations as that was part of the responsibilities that go with the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of Sierra Leone.  Mr. Bangah noted that the existence of the Regulation would help improve the standard of journalistic practice during elections, geared toward enhancing a peaceful outcome of the multi-tier elections in the country.

 

2. The Presentations:

Three people from the Independent Media Commission – the Executive Secretary, Mr. Khalil Kallon; Commissioners James Tamba Lebbie and Dr. Victor Suma – made the presentations on the five parts of the Regulations while Commissioners Mustapha M.K. Sesay and Sheikh Ibrahim Barrie facilitated the plenary session.

2.1 Khalil Kallon, Executive Secretary, IMC

The five parts into which the Regulations is divided are the following:

• Part 1 – The Preliminary;
• Part II – Elections Media Coverage and Reporting
• Part III – General Elections Media Coverage and Reporting

Guidelines

• Part IV – Complaint and Enforcement Procedures
• Part V – Offences

 

Mr. Kallon started the presentation with an overview of the Regulations that include the following elements:

• Interpretation/definitions of terms in the Regulations.
• Guiding principles and the
• Object of elections media coverage and reporting.

He told the participants that the subsequent presenters would take them into the nitty-gritty of the provisions of the Regulations.

 

At that point, participants were asked to take a tea break for 15 minutes and to converge for the next presentations.

 

 

2.2 Commissioner James Tamba Lebbie

Commissioner James Tamba Lebbie made two back to back presentations on the Parts II and III of the Regulations. He told the participants that his presentation would build on that of the IMC Executive Secretary with a thorough look at the provisions of the Regulation, going section by section.

 

Commissioner Lebbie made his presentations according to the outline below:

 

PART II – ELECTIONS MEDIA COVERAGE AND REPORTING

(11 Sections)

• General guidelines for elections media coverage and reporting.
• Coverage and reporting of political activities.
• Coverage and reporting of elections process.
• Coverage and reporting of political manifestos.
• Coverage and reporting of political advertising.
• Coverage and reporting of elections campaigns.
• Coverage and reporting of political opinion polls.
• Coverage and reporting of incumbent.
• Coverage and reporting on nomination day.
• Coverage and reporting on elections day.
• Coverage and reporting of post-elections period.

 

PART III – GENERAL ELECTIONS MEDIA COVERAGE AND REPORTING GUIDELINES

 

(7 Sections)

• Endorsement of political candidates prohibited.
• Publication of incredible party releases prohibited.
• Conflict of interest.
• Identification requirement.
• Use of quotations, jargons, etc.
• Duty to obey security order.
• Equal access to paid political advertising.

 

2.3 Commissioner Dr. Victor Suma:

After the above presentations, Commissioner Suma took the stage to present on Part IV of the Regulations which deals with the “Complaint and Enforcement Procedures” of the Regulation. This section contains only one section but explains in detail about the existence of the Complaints Committee, pursuant to Section 19, subsection 1, paragraph b of the IMC Act of 2020.

Commissioner Suma spoke about the mandate of that Committee, which he said has some powers of the High Court; procedures of filing/lodging complaints to the IMC; the manner in which the Committee arbitrate complaints; penalties for respondents who fails to appear before the Committee, and penalties for those found wanting by the Committee.

 

2.4 Khalil Kallon

The final presentation was done by the IMC ES, Khalil Kallon, Mr. Kallon and it focused on Part V of the Regulations, which speaks on “Offences”. The outline of the presentation are the following:

s24. Violation of media coverage and reporting guidelines prohibited.

s25. Broadcast of untrue information prohibited.

s26. Copyright infringement prohibited.

s27. Protection of privacy.

s28. Harassment and intimidation prohibited.

s29. Publication of gruesome images prohibited.

s30. Identification and permission required for hospitals, etc.

s31. Identity of relatives or friends not to be disclosed.

s32. Obtaining information by pretence or misrepresentation prohibited.

s33. Nude and pornographic images prohibited.

s34. Identification of victims of sexual assault prohibited.

s35. Prejudicial or prerogative reference to a person prohibited.

s36. Publication or broadcast of smear campaign stories prohibited

s37. Threats, abuse and indecency prohibited.

s38. Disclosure of confidential source of information prohibited.

s39. Refusal to ensure sensitive reporting prohibited.

After this presentation, participants took a one-hour lunch break following which the final session focused on the plenary session that

3. Plenary Sesssion:

This segment of the meeting/workshop was moderated by Commissioner Mustapha Sesay and other presenters of the different topics of the IMC.

Ibrahim Kamara, the Regional Officer of the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) asked the following questions below:

1. What is the role of media practitioners in crosschecking and fact checking the authenticity of the movement(s) that wants to transform its existence to a political party?
2. How can the IMC manage leading questions that are sometimes asked by radio moderators?

Commissioner Mustapha Sesay responded by stating that according to the reviewed IMC’s coverage and reporting regulations, media practitioners have the responsibility to ensure they crosscheck the legality of any movement(s) that wishes to transform itself to a political party by strictly following the code of ethics or regulations of the Commission.

According to Commissioner Mustapha Sesay, leading questions posed by radio moderators is an issue of editorial management. The management of any media house should ensure it edits any question(s) asked by their staff in order to be professional and effective in managing radio discussion programs.

Antoinette J. Conteh, the Assistant District Electoral Manager (ADEM) of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) in her submission outlined that Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) staff and media practitioners should be mindful of their identity during the process of monitoring and observing elections. She emphasized that all players involved in the electioneering processes are obliged to put on their ID cards for them to avoid embarrassment and the misplacement of their identities.

In another development, the ADEM appealed to the IMC to distinguish between an observer and a monitor during electioneering period. The ECSL is mostly challenged with this aspect of persons who normally aid the process of conducting free, fair and transparent elections but failed to discern between these two terminologies.

Commissioner Mustapha Sesay responded by stating the distinctive roles and duties of an observer as oppose to a monitor. He mentioned the mandate of an observer is to record all anomalies and report accordingly to his or her organization or EMB; whiles a monitor on the other hand records and further demands for clarifications where necessary.

Fanta Fornah, a representative of the All People’s Congress (APC), commended the Independent Media Commission (IMC) for its initiative to educate media houses, political parties and stakeholders on elections coverage and reporting regulations which fosters and promotes democratic elections in Sierra Leone. She concluded by pleading to the Commission to promote the Gender Empowerment Bill and actualize the 30 percent women’s seats in Parliament.

Esther H. Moujeh, a representative of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) asked a question that if complaints are only lodged to IMC for adjudication? However, the astute Commissioner answered her question and stated that any aggrieved person (s) can lodge his/her complaint to any other court of law and not necessarily to IMC. Although, IMC is a statutory media institution responsible for all media complaints, he clarified. Furthermore, an aggrieved person(s) can hire the services of any legal representative if he so desires.

The Chairman of SLAJ, Northern Region, Steven Bockarie Mansaray in his submission asked the following questions below:

1. Who is qualify to moderate a political program on radio?
2. Is it lawful to sell out airtime of a flagship radio program?

The moderator on the plenary session mentioned that the management of any media house has the mandate or responsibility to choose a moderator for any specific radio program in order to maintain professionalism and prevent unethical radio outcomes.

Furthermore, it is unlawful to sell out airtime to politicians at the expense of a flagship program, the moderator emphasized.

Kadiatu Bankoleh Sesay of Radio Shalon, Koinadugu District contributed by expressing words of gratitude for such an opportunity to acquire knowledge on elections coverage and reporting regulations. She assured the Commission that she is going to serve as an ambassador to his colleagues and facilitate the promotion of best practices in journalism.

Major A.P. Bangura of RSLAF, Teko Barracks, Makeni thanked the Commission for their initiative to launch the IMC Elections Coverage and Reporting Regulations. He said, the RSLAF is a security that has a stake in electioneering processes especially when it comes providing security during and post elections cycle. He assured the Commission to disseminate all that he has learned to his colleagues.

Edna Ngeba, Chairperson for Women in Media Sierra Leone, Northern Region also commented on the implementation of the Gender Empowerment Bill so as to enhance the 30 percent quota for women’s representation in governance.

Chief Pa Masim Conteh, a ceremonial Chief of Bombali Shebora Chiefdom thanked the Commission to consider traditional authorities in such a meeting. He said, the idea to involve traditional authorities in such a workshop has a repeal positive effect in enhancing good governance at all sectors of leadership. He said, as a traditional authority felt fulfilled and knowledgeable about the IMC elections Coverage and Reporting regulations.

The Executive Secretary, Khalil Kallon responded by encouraging the traditional authorities to be steadfast in executing their duties as they are the custodians of law and as role model, they have to inform or educate their subjects on the IMC elections coverage and reporting regulations, he concluded.

Emil Jengo, the Manager of Radio Maria, Makeni, spoke about the ten (10) hour broadcast by media houses as a public service responsibility to enhance effective and professional journalism. The sharing of objective information to the citizenry of this country will counter disinformation and misinformation during the electioneering period, he concluded.

Commissioner Barrie added by stating that Media Practitioners have to make balance reporting and inculcate the attitude of broadcasting news professionally in order to foster and promote democratic tenets in the conduct of transparent and sustainable elections.

4. Conclusion:

The interactive session was followed by administrative arrangements that include the payment of transpiration stipends to participants – both from within Makeni and those who travelled from other districts and towns in the Northern Region to participate in the popularization event.

 

Faithfully submitted by:

 

Andrew Kanu

Rapporteur,

Makeni, Northern Region

+232 76 887600