By Matthew Turry
Members of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) have voted journalist Julius Kanubah as the organization’s new president after a rerun of the disputed and nullified 2022 elections.
The election, which took place on Saturday, September 21st, was held at the Effort Baptist School in Paynesville, outside the capital Monrovia. Kanubah emerged victorious, defeating his opponent, former PUL Vice President Daniel Nyakonah.
Kanubah and his running mate, Beatrice Sieh, who won the vice presidency, will now lead the journalism organization for the next three years until 2027. Their victory comes after a long-standing legal battle over the 2022 PUL elections, which were marred by allegations of irregularities and electoral fraud.
In his acceptance speech, Kanubah expressed his commitment to addressing the issues that have “affected the soul of the struggling Union.”
“You can rest assured that my commitment to you will remain intact. Sanity must see the face of our noble PUL,” Kanubah said.
The 2024 Special Congress was organized to undo the irregularities that took place in the 2022 Gbarnga Congress, which led to a court-ordered rerun of the elections.
Kanubah’s victory has been characterized as a democratic process, free and fair, where every member of the union was given the opportunity to exercise their fundamental rights.
Liberian journalists are now hopeful that the new leadership under Kanubah and his team will bring about a total transformation, ensuring that every journalist across the country feels the impact of their union.
The task ahead for the new PUL leadership includes rebuilding the institution, which has been beset by fraud, poor administration, low morale, and an ethical breakdown.
