Eight organizations, led by the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), have reached an agreement with the two main presidential candidates for the Presidential Debate.
This will happen on Tuesday 30 October 2012 at the Sierra Leone Bank Complex with an invited audience of not more than 200.
The other organizations are Democracy Sierra Leone, Campaign for Good Governance, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, BBC Media Action, National Democratic Institute (NDI), Action Aid Sierra Leone, Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
Criteria set out by the organizers in early September were: fielding in of candidates in at least 90% of the constituencies and
representation in the outgoing Parliament.
According to the latest information from NEC, only two parties APC and SLPP met this criteria.
“Good quality political debating between the leaders of the major contesting political parties during the run-up to national elections is fast becoming a positive indicator of democratic progress to enable voters make informed decisions” says SLAJ President, Umaru Fofana.