Reporters Assoc. Elects New Officers

The Reporters Association of Liberia (RAL) on Saturday, October 19, 2019, elected a corps of officers to steer the affairs of the Association for 3 years.

The elections which was held at the Browerville Town Hall, saw candidate Cecelia Clarke of the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) emerging as president with 85 votes, followed by Willie Tokpa as Vice President and Mark Mengonfia as Secretary General.

During the opening of the polls, the Chairman of the elections commission, Edwin Clarke orderly conducted the polls, as several reporters who turned out in their numbers admitted to the process being peaceful, transparent and conducted under a good atmosphere.

With pockets campaigning activities ongoing, the three presidential candidates, Cecelia Clarke, P. Nas Mulbah and Abraham Sonii were seen along with their running mates vigorously campaigning in a Jehovah Witness mood.

Candidate Cecelia Clarke who was endorsed by the Female Journalist Association of Liberia (FeJAL), managed to also convince most of her colleagues at the Legislature to vote her. Prior to the elections, FeJAL also endorsed candidate Cecelia Clarke who was the only female in the race for the presidency.

Candidates P. Nas Mulbah and Abraham Sonii on the other hand failed to acquire the requisite votes, as the votes obtained from the Judiciary was divided amongst P. Nas Mulbah and Abraham while most of the journalists assigned at the Judiciary Branch of Government saw the two them (P. Nas and Abraham) as their own, and never wanted to betray them.

Although, candidates, P. Nas and Abraham prior to the elections, controlled the social media, but most of the ordinary voters felt the message of Cecelia’s work for the state broadcaster was not enough to get them vote them.

“If we have come here to hear that Cecelia works for the state run broadcaster, the LBS, then I believe these guys have missed the track. We have come to vote a female, because since this institution was founded we have not had any female heading it; I believe, this is the time for a female,” a voter (name withheld) stated.

“I don’t know why some of those people we hold in high esteem will come up to make these statements, when they were there in Buchanan voting the president of the Legislative Reporter who also works for the LBS; why are these guys so bad?, but anything they do, Cecelia is our leader,” another female voter stated.

 For the Vice President position, candidates Forgbe Emma Kloh and Jackson Clay failed to seal the victory, thus leaving Willie Topka emerge victorious. Mark Mengonfia defeated Augustine Saah in the Secretary General Position. Others were Alfred Kollie, Assistant Secretary while Hannah N. Geterminah won on white ballot as Treasurer.