The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Alhaji Manika Kamara, has called on journalists and media students to uphold professionalism, truth, and balance as the country approaches the 2028 electoral cycle.
Speaking at the Annual University of Makeni Communications Dinner, organised by the Association of Mass Communicators at the University of Makeni, he warned that rising political tensions and misinformation could easily deepen divisions if the media is not careful.
He said journalists must avoid becoming tools of political interests, stressing that their primary duty is to the public, truth, and national stability.
He also encouraged media practitioners to promote dialogue rather than hostility in their reporting.
President Manika noted that the fast spread of misinformation on social media places greater responsibility on journalists to verify facts and resist sensationalism.
Addressing students, he urged them to prepare for the profession by studying governance, electoral processes, and digital verification skills, while building integrity early in their careers.
He reaffirmed SLAJ’s commitment to ethical journalism, media freedom, and the safety of journalists, adding that the future of the profession depends on the choices of the next generation of communicators.
