Ernest Bai Koroma

Last updated

Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma February 2015.jpg
Koroma in 2015
4th President of Sierra Leone
In office
17 September 2007 –4 April 2018
ChildrenAlice
Dankay Yunis
Alma mater Fourah Bay College
Religion Christianity (Wesleyan)
Website Government website

Ernest Bai Koroma (born 2 October 1953) is a Sierra Leonean politician who served as the fourth President of Sierra Leone from 17 September 2007 to 4 April 2018.

Contents

Born and raised in Makeni in northern Sierra Leone, Koroma spent more than 24 years working in the private insurance industry before entering politics in 2002. From 1988 to 2002, he was the managing director of the Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation (Ritcorp).

Koroma earned a bachelor's degree from Fourah Bay College in 1976; and is an insurance agent by profession.

Koroma was elected as leader of the All People's Congress (APC), Sierra Leone's main opposition party, on 24 March 2002, [1] after defeating then-incumbent APC leader Edward Turay. Koroma stood as the APC candidate in the 2002 presidential election but was defeated in a free and fair election by incumbent President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who won 70.3% of the vote, to Koroma's 22.35%. [2] Koroma conceded defeat.

Koroma was later elected to Parliament, representing his home District of Bombali from 2002 to 2007. In 2005, he was elected the minority leader of Parliament and remained in that position until his election to the presidency in 2007.

In the 2007 presidential election run-off, Koroma received 54.6% of the vote and defeated incumbent Vice-President Solomon Berewa of the ruling SLPP. [3] Berewa conceded defeat, and Koroma was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007, at the State House in the capital Freetown. International and local observers declared the election free and fair. [4] [5] Koroma succeeded President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was constitutionally ineligible to run for the presidency again after serving the maximum two five-year term limit.

In the November 2012 presidential election, Koroma was re-elected as President for a second term, receiving 58.7%, against his main opponent, SLPP candidate Julius Maada Bio, who received 37.4%. [6] [7] [8] [9] International observers deemed the election to be free and fair. [7] [10] Koroma was succeeded by Julius Maada Bio following his victory in run-off elections held on 31 March 2018. [11]

In December 2023, Koroma was placed under house arrest after two days of interrogation following an attempted coup d'état on 26 November 2023 during demonstrations. [12] He was charged with four counts of treason in relation to the coup on 3 January 2024. [13]

Early life and education

Ernest Bai Koroma was born on 2 October 1953 in Makeni, [14] Bombali District in the Northern Province of British Sierra Leone. He was born into a Christian family in the predominantly Muslim north. Koroma was raised in a predominantly ethnic Temne household and is a fluent speaker of the Temne and Limba languages, his parents' mother tongues.

His father, Sylvanus Koroma, was of Temne and Loko heritage and grew up in a Temne household. He was born in the Makari Gbanti chiefdom, Bombali District. He worked for years as a bible school teacher at the Wesleyan Church in Makeni. [15] [16]

Koroma's mother, Alice Koroma (27 June 1932 – 6 July 2012), was an ethnic Biriwa Limba from the small rural town of Kamabai, also in Bombali District. She entered local politics in the 1960s, and was elected as a member of the All People's Congress (APC) to the Makeni city council. Alice Koroma was women's leader of the APC Bombali District branch. She was also a strong supporter of President Siaka Stevens' administration, when the APC leader was elected. Alice Koroma later worked for most of her career as a primary school teacher in Makeni.

Koroma attended the Sierra Leone Church Primary School in Makeni. For higher education, he went to the Magburaka Government Secondary School for Boys in Magburaka, Tonkolili District (about 25 miles from his hometown of Makeni). He graduated in 1973. [17] He moved to the capital Freetown to attend Fourah Bay College, from where he graduated in 1976 with a degree in Business Management.

Soon after graduating from Fourah Bay College, Koroma became a teacher at St. Francis Secondary School in Makeni (1976–78).

Career in the insurance industry

Koroma joined the Sierra Leone National Insurance Company in 1978. In 1985, he joined the Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation (Ritcorp), and in 1988, he became managing director of Ritcorp, remaining in that position for 14 years. [18]

Marriage and family

A longtime member of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone, [19] [20] Koroma married Sia Nyama Koroma, the daughter of attorney and politician Abu Aiah Koroma. He served as former Attorney General of Sierra Leone, and also held several other government ministry positions under presidents Joseph Saidu Momoh and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. An ethnic Kono from Kono District, Sia Koroma is a biochemist, holding Bachelor of Science with Honours in Chemistry and a master's in biochemistry. She is also a psychiatric nurse trained and qualified in Great Britain.

Koroma and his wife Sia Koroma were married on October 18, 1986, at the King Memorial UMC Church in Freetown. [21] Together they have 3 adult daughters: Alice (named after Koroma's mother) and Dankay (named after his wife's mother) and mary koroma and one Son Yunis koroma. Alice Koroma is a lawyer, having graduated from the University of East Anglia in 2010. [22]

Political career

APC campaign leadership

In 2002 it was announced that the All People's Congress (APC) would hold their convention to elect a new leader that would challenge president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the SLPP who faced re-election for a second five-year term. Ernest Bai Koroma, then an Insurance broker from the northern district of Bombali who was virtually unknown by the general population in Sierra Leone announced his candidacy for the leadership of the All People's Congress (APC) ahead of the 2002 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections. [23] He was one of seven candidates for the APC leadership.

Koroma was a clear underdog to longtime APC leader Edward Turay who was the favourite and was expected to easily win the APC leadership yet again. Koroma stressed that under the APC leadership of Edward Turay, the party had lost a significant number of seats in parliament and had lost trust among Sierra Leoneans, even in its traditional stronghold in Northern Sierra Leone. Koroma said the party will continue to lose even more support unless the party moves to a new direction that will care more about the interest of Sierra Leoneans. The APC was thought to be divided between the old guards wing of the party leady by Edward Turay, and the new generation wing of the party led by Ernest Bai Koroma. [24] Koroma was elected leader of the All People's Congress (APC) on 24 March 2002, at a national convention of the party held in the northern town of Kabala, Koinadugu District ahead of the 2002 Sierra Leone Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Koroma received 370 votes from APC delegates, while 12 delegates voted against him and the remainder abstained. [25]

2002 presidential and parliamentary election

In the 2002 Sierra Leone presidential election Koroma received 22.3% of the vote as the APC presidential candidate, losing in a landslide to incumbent President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), who received 70.3% and was shortly sworn in for a new five-year term. [26] In the parliamentary election, Koroma was elected to a seat from Bombali District. [27]

Court case

Embattled by a series of court cases against his youthful leadership and executive and the 2002 APC Constitution, Koroma was eventually stripped of his de jure leadership of the APC by the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone on 22 June 2005. [28] He was, however, again unanimously elected as Leader and presidential candidate of the APC ahead of the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections at APC National Delegates Convention held on 3 September 2005 in the northern town of Port Loko. The internal party dispute was said to be resolved in April 2007, mainly between Koroma and Edward Turay, with Koroma being accepted by APC dissidents as the party's leader ahead of the 2007 general election. [29] [30]

Under his leadership, the APC swept virtually all the seats in the Western Area and the Northern Province during the local government elections of 2004. This was in spite of the fact that some of the old guard of the APC dismissed his leadership as a matter of child's play.

Koroma has been charged with four offences including treason for his alleged role in failed military attempt coup to topple the West African country's government in November. [31]

Candidacy

A man passes, in Freetown, posters for APC candidate Koroma (foreground) and the ruling SLPP ahead of presidential elections, 6 August 2007. Sierra Leone Election APC SLPP 06aug07 210.jpg
A man passes, in Freetown, posters for APC candidate Koroma (foreground) and the ruling SLPP ahead of presidential elections, 6 August 2007.

Koroma was the APC presidential candidate in the August 2007 general election. His main rival for the presidency of Sierra Leone was incumbent Vice-President of Sierra Leone Solomon Berewa of the SLPP. Koroma stronghold was in Northern Sierra Leone, and in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. Berewa, on the other hand, maintained strong support in south-eastern Sierra Leone.

Koroma was allegedly the target of an assassination attempt in the early hours of 23 July 2007 in Bo, Sierra Leone's second largest city (a traditional stronghold of the SLPP), when, according to the APC, a group of armed men led by Tom Nyuma, who was a participant in the 1992 coup that ousted the APC from power, attempted to enter Koroma's hotel room to kill him. [32] Nyuma was severely beaten by Koroma's guards, and he was hospitalized as a result. [33]

2007 presidential election

In the first round of the 2007 presidential election in Sierra Leone, held on 11 August, Koroma garnered 44.3% of the votes, ahead of Solomon Berewa of the ruling SLPP, who received 38.3%. This was not enough to win outright, [34] and a run-off election was held on 8 September. [35]

In an interview with Reuters on 13 September, Koroma said that he wanted to run the country "like a business concern", with a focus on agriculture and tourism rather than mining, and fight firmly against corruption. [36]

On 17 September, the Sierra Leone National Electoral Commission declared Koroma to be the winner of the election with 54.6% of the vote, [37] although the SLPP disputed the results. [38] He was sworn in later on the same day [39] at a ceremony attended by Berewa and Kabbah. [40]

On 21 September, Koroma left Sierra Leone for a diplomatic visit to neighboring Guinea and Liberia, his first trip outside the country as President. [41]

Koroma took a notably long time to name his Cabinet ministers, doing so in stages. [42] The first group of 10 ministers was named on 8 October, [43] and another 10 were named on 12 October. [44] According to Koroma, he was willing to take additional time to find the right people; [42] others, however, speculated that the delay was due to maneuvering within the APC for Cabinet positions. [42] [43]

Inauguration

Koroma was formally inaugurated in Freetown on 15 November 2007 [45] at a ceremony attended by seven other African leaders. [46] On this occasion, he promised to fight corruption and emphasized the importance of changing people's attitudes towards corruption. [45] [46]

Koroma promised zero tolerance on corruption, to fight against the mismanagement of the country's resources and that he "would run Sierra Leone like a business concern", emphasising agriculture and tourism. He further promised his government will increase the GDP per capita; reduce poverty and increase jobs; pledged the provision of electricity not only in the urban areas, but to all parts of Sierra Leone. [47]

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several African Head of State and representatives of other world leaders and organisations, including Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua, Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade, Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, Burkina Faso's president Blaise Compaoré, Malian president Amadou Toumani Touré, Guinean Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté and United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer.

Presidency

The Koroma presidency has focused upon rebuilding the country's national infrastructure after the Civil War, fighting corruption and improving the country's health care system. In April 2010, Koroma signed into law the country's free health care program for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under the age of five. [48] Koroma has focused on free-market solutions, attracting more private investment.

On 4 September 2008, Koroma declared his assets to the Sierra Leone Anti-corruption Commission and signed into law the country's new Anti-Corruption Bill of 2008 at the State House in Freetown. [49] [50] Under the new law, it is compulsory for the president and other government officials to declare their assets and update them annually.

Koroma has given the country's anti-corruption commission more powers to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials. [51] Since coming to power in 2007, Koroma has dismissed several government ministers associated with corruption, including two of his ministers indicted on corruption charges by the Sierra Leone anti-corruption commission.

The Koroma presidency has focused on road constructions across the country, which has significantly improved Sierra Leone's infrastructure. The Koroma presidency has focused on encouraging investments, which has led to investment in the country's mining industry, mostly by Chinese companies. [52] [53] The Koroma presidency, with the financial help of the United Nations, has implemented a free healthcare program for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. [54] [55] However, many experts and critics say most of the money meant to fund the program has been mismanaged and misused by senior government officials due to corruption. The Koroma presidency still faces major challenges in fighting corruption, extreme poverty, unemployment, poor housing conditions, poor healthcare, poor energy and water supplies. The president maintains improvements have been made in all of the areas above, but critics and many experts say the government is behind in improving these conditions.

In president Koroma inauguration speech, he promised zero tolerance of corruptions, and during the early years of his presidency, several senior government officials allied to the president were arrested and prosecuted for corruption by the country's Anti Corruption commission. However, most of the senior government official allied to the president were acquitted of corruption charges in court. Critics alleged they were acquitted by the court because they were close allies of president Koroma, an allegation denied by the presidency. The Sierra Leone Auditor General report said millions of dollars of the money meant for Ebola patients were missing in government emergency ebola account. [56] [57] President Koroma named experts to investigate the allegation, and some senior government officials linked to the Ebola funds were fired and suspended.

President Koroma who won reelection with 58% of the votes, is still very popular particularly in the north and Western Area of Sierra Leone. His presidential staff and cabinet ministers are very diverse and are made up of members of about all of Sierra Leone's ethnic groups. President Koroma has often made unannounced visit to several poor Sierra Leonean neighborhood, and he is often seen waving to the people in his presidential motorcade.

Accusations of intolerance of journalists critical of Koroma

Several Sierra Leonean journalists critical of President Koroma, including Jonathan Leigh and Bai Bai Sesay of the Independent Observer newspaper and radio journalist who compare the president to a rat, and David Tam Baryoh who criticized the president Ebola response, have been arrested and detained on seditious libel charges by the Sierra Leone Police but they were later released from jail. [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [64] The oppositions, the Sierra Leone Bar Association of journalists and critic of the government, alleged the journalists were arrested because of their fierce and outspoken critic of president Koroma, an allegation again denied by the presidency.

Criticism of police brutality

President Koroma was criticized after several people were shot dead by Sierra Leone Police officers in the Eastern city of Koidu Town in 2007 and again in 2012 at protests rallies against poor living conditions and against the mining companies in Kono District. [65] [66] Several officers of the Sierra Leone Police Force were heavily criticized for using too much force and firing live bullets on protesters. The Sierra Leone Police opened an internal investigation on the 2007 incident and 2012 incidents in Koidu Town.

President Koroma was again heavily criticized after at least two people were shot dead by police officers of the Sierra Leone Police Force at a protest in the northern city of Kabala against the living conditions and against the mining companies on August 16, 2016. The head of the Sierra Leone Police Force, Inspector General Francis Munu, suspended two senior Sierra Leone police officers, local unit commander Almammy Bangura and Koinadugu District Police Commissioner Foday Fofanah, pending a full investigation into the incident [67] who is the overall head of the Sierra. [68] [69] [70]

Relations with UK

The British government has continued to provide large scale aid and advice, with former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair continuing to work closely with the Sierra Leone government and speak out for investment in Sierra Leone. At Koroma's request, Blair created a nine-person board to advise the government on foreign investment. [71] The UK continues to be the largest donor to Sierra Leone, giving more money per person than to any other nation, and promising to raise aid by a further 50 million pounds sterling in 2010. [72]

In a 2009 BBC report by Humphrey Hawksley, some British diplomats and aid workers raised concerns about the slow pace of development in the country stressing on the problem of corruption, and asking whether almost a decade after the war – British military and post-war aid assistance has gone in vain as the country still struggle with poverty and massive unemployment. [73]

President Koroma also worked closely with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who increased the United Kingdom's aid to and cooperation with Sierra Leone even further. While Brown was serving as Prime Minister, the United Kingdom encouraged investment in Sierra Leone's two state-owned banks. Brown became popular in Sierra Leone, and both he and Koroma formed a strong working relationship. [74] [75]

Koroma formed a positive relationship with British Prime Minister David Cameron. When the Ebola epidemic broke out in 2014, Koroma told David Cameron the scale of the disaster was such that it would cost at least £80 million, Cameron responded by pledging that much to help Sierra Leone. [76] As the crisis unfolded, British aid to Sierra Leone grew, also at the request of Sierra Leone's government. [77] Under Koroma, three consecutive British Prime Ministers had very positive relations with Sierra Leone, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, all three of whom proved to rank among the most well-known and most popular foreign leaders in Sierra Leone between 1998 and 2016. [75]

Reforms

Koroma pushed through arrest and prosecution authority for the Sierra Leone Anti-corruption Commission, and naming former Human Rights lawyer Abdul Tejan-Cole its head immediately after his election. [78] The government has spoken of transitioning from large scale aid to private investment in the nation, sought to boost the nascent tourist industry, signed deals for more extensive mobile phone service, [79] began a widescale public sector reform program aimed at cutting government waste, and gave greater powers to the government Ombudsman. [80]

At the same time, Koroma inaugurated a large new national park at Gola Forest, [81] and banned exports by logging companies, singling out Chinese-owned companies, which he accused of "plundering" the nation's forests. [82]

Relations with Zimbabwe

President Koroma has also controversially been one of the few African leaders to criticise Zimbabwe's former President, Robert Mugabe. [83] At the African Union summit held at the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh in 2008, he was quoted saying, "The people of Zimbabwe have been denied their democratic rights. We should in no uncertain terms condemn what has happened." [84]

Drug trade

In July 2008, Koroma pledged to crack down on cocaine trafficking in Sierra Leone, after a large drug bust of an aircraft loaded with cocaine at the national airport. [85]

Election violence

In August 2008, fighting between supporters of Koroma's All People's Congress (APC) party and opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) erupted in Freetown and the country's second largest city of Bo in the run up to municipal elections, with ruling party supporters charged with attacking opposition members and journalists. Koroma promised to crack down on such violence. [86]

2009 APC Convention

On 16 April 2009, Koroma was re-elected unopposed by the APC as the party's candidate for the 2012 presidential election at the APC National Delegates convention held in the northern city of Makeni. Several senior members of the main opposition party, the SLPP, and the country's third major party, the PMDC, were invited as special guests at the convention to promote peace and national reconciliation following the tense general elections in 2007. Those in attendance at the convention included John Oponjo Benjamin, the leader of the SLPP, and Charles Margai, the leader of the PMDC. [87] [88] [89]

Koroma meeting Jill Biden and Finnegan Biden in 2014. Jill Biden visits Freetown, Sierra Leone (2014-07) 04.jpg
Koroma meeting Jill Biden and Finnegan Biden in 2014.

2012 re-election to second term

Koroma was re-elected as President in the 17 November 2012 presidential election with 58.7% of the vote, defeating his main opponent, Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP, who received 37.4%. [6] [7] [8] [9] Koroma was sworn in as President for his second and final term by Chief Justice Umu Hawa Tejan Jalloh at the State House in Freetown on 23 November, the same day he was declared the winner of the election.

2018 elections and the APC party leadership saga

In 2017 it was announced that the All People's Congress (APC) would hold their convention to choose a new leader that will challenge Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP for the presidency during the 2018 elections. Several members of the party announced their candidacies for the APC leadership. Koroma, on his own, chose Samura Kamara instead of going through the due process of elections- a move that was unpopular and angered the majority of APC supporters. [90] APC ultimately lost the elections to Bio of the SLPP. [91]

SLPP’s commission of inquiry

In 2018, immediately after taking office, President Julius Maada Bio’s administration announced a Commissions of Inquiry (COI) [92] approved to look into the performance of former All People’s Congress (APC) Government officials and that the scope of the inquiry will cover the period November, 2007 to April, 2018. Over 300 persons who served in senior positions in Koroma's administration including Koroma himself were indicted. Honourable Justice John Rosolu Bankole Thompson who headed Commission Number 2 of the three Commissions of Inquiry blasted the Bio regime for misusing the COI in a manner that was "not reasonable or permissible" and also "not cognizable" under the COI legal framework that President Bio had sent for approval to Parliament. [93]

Cabinet

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmad Tejan Kabbah</span> 3rd President of Sierra Leone (1996–97, 1998–2007)

Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah was a Sierra Leonean politician who served twice as the 3rd President of Sierra Leone, from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2007. An economist and attorney by profession, Kabbah spent many years working for the United Nations Development Programme. He retired from the United Nations and returned to Sierra Leone in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Leone People's Party</span> Political party in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with its main political rival the All People's Congress (APC). It has been the ruling party in Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018. The SLPP dominated Sierra Leone's politics from its foundation in 1951 to 1967, when it lost the 1967 parliamentary election to the APC, led by Siaka Stevens. Originally a centre-right, conservative party, it identifies since 2012 as a centre-left social democratic party, with a centrist tendency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All People's Congress</span> Political party in Sierra Leone

The All People's Congress (APC) is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other being its main political rival the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). The APC has been the main opposition party in Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018 when Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP won the 2018 presidential elections, though it maintains a majority in parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Makeni</span> Place in Northern Province, Sierra Leone

Makeni is the largest city in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The city is the capital of Bombali District, and is the economic center of the Northern Province. Makeni is the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone by population. The city of Makeni had a population of 85,116 in the 2021 census. Makeni lies approximately 110 miles east of Freetown. Makeni is home to the University of Makeni, the largest private university in Sierra Leone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Maada Bio</span> President of Sierra Leone since 2018

Julius Maada Wonie Bio is a Sierra Leonean politician who has served as president of Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018. He is a retired brigadier in the Sierra Leone Army and was the military head of state of Sierra Leone from 16 January 1996 to 29 March 1996, in a military junta government known as the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bombali District</span> Place in Northern Province, Sierra Leone

Bombali is a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Makeni, which is also the largest city in the north. The Bombali district is one of the sixteen districts of Sierra Leone. Bombali is one of the largest districts in Sierra Leone by geographical area, after Koinadugu District, and is the second most populous district in the Northern part of Sierra Leone, after Port Loko district. In the 2015 Sierra Leone national census, the population of Bombali District was 606,183. Other major towns in Bombali District include Kamabai, Karina and Binkolo.

The People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) is a liberal party in Sierra Leone. It is a breakaway faction of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). It was officially registered on 19 January 2006. The party is led by Charles Margai, the son of Sierra Leone's second prime minister Sir Albert Margai and the nephew of Sir Milton Margai. The PMDC is based in the country's second largest city of Bo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Margai</span> Sierra Leonean politician and constitutional lawyer

Charles Francis Kondo Margai is a Sierra Leonean politician and constitutional lawyer who served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone in 2018.

Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa was Vice-president of Sierra Leone from May 2002 to September 2007. Standing as the candidate of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), he was defeated in the second round of the 2007 presidential election by Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC).

Edward Mohamed Turay was a Sierra Leonean politician and diplomat. He was leader of the opposition All People's Congress (APC) from 1996 to 2002. He was the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2010 until his death in 2023.

Alhaji Amadu Jalloh is a politician in Sierra Leone. He contested the 1996 presidential election as a member of the National Democratic Alliance, where he finished in 8th place with 2.3% of the first round voting. He ran again as the NDA candidate in the August 2007 presidential election, receiving 0.96% of the vote and fifth place.

Mohamed Yahya Sillah is a Sierra Leonean politician, journalist and human rights activist. He was active in the transition efforts from military to civilian rule in Sierra Leone. As the National Chairman of the National Alliance Democratic Party (NADP), he was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1996 Presidential elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kono District</span> Place in Eastern Province, Sierra Leone

Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. Motema is the second most populous city in the district. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Jaiama Nimikor and Sewafe. The district is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone. The population of Kono District is 505,767. Kono District borders Kenema District to the southwest, The Republic of Guinea to the east, Koinadugu District to the northeast and Kailahun District to the southeast. Kono District is divided into fourteen chiefdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Sierra Leonean general election</span>

General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 11 August 2007. Seven candidates competed in the first round of the presidential election; no candidate received the necessary 55% of the vote to win in the first round, and a second round was held between the top two candidates, Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC) and Solomon Berewa of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), on 8 September. According to official results, Koroma won the election with 54.6% of the vote.

The following list is of events that happened during 2007 in Sierra Leone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Sam-Sumana</span> Sierra Leone politician

Alhaji Samuel Sidique Sam-Sumana is a Sierra Leonean politician who was the Vice President of Sierra Leone from September 17, 2007, to March 17, 2015. Sam-Sumana stood as the vice-presidential candidate of the All People's Congress (APC) in the 2007 presidential election, alongside presidential candidate Ernest Bai Koroma. The APC ticket defeated the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) presidential candidate Solomon Berewa and vice presidential candidate Momodou Koroma. Sam-Sumana took office as vice president on September 17, 2007.

Haja Afsatu Olayinka Ebishola Savage Kabba is a Sierra Leonean Oku politician and former Sierra Leone minister of Energy and Power. She served as a member of Parliament of Sierra Leone from the Western Area Urban District from 2002 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samura Kamara</span> Sierra Leonean politician and economist

Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara is a Sierra Leonean politician and economist. He was the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party's candidate for President of Sierra Leone in the 2018 election and 2023 election. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone from 2012 to 2017, Minister of Finance and Economic Development from 2009 to 2013, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2009, Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance during President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah's administration.

Alhaji Alpha Sahid Bakar Kanu is a Sierra Leonean politician and the current Sierra Leone minister of Presidential and Public Affairs. He is also the official spokesman of the All People's Congress (APC) political party, a position he has held even before the APC came to power. In January 2012, Kanu was chosen by Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma to serve as Minister of Information and Communication in Koroma's new second term cabinet.

Alice Rosalyn Koroma was the mother of Sierra Leone's president, Ernest Bai Koroma, and a longtime primary school teacher in Makeni. She was a longtime member of the Wesleyan Church congregation in Makeni, and in the 1960s she was a member of the Makeni city council from the All People's Congress (APC) party. Koroma, whose political career stems back to the 1960s, "was a strong supporter" and "advocate of women's rights". She was very active in the political scene of Sierra Leone and was a former leader of the All People's Congress (APC) Women's Congress in Bombali District in the later half of the 1960s.

References

  1. ↑ "The President" Archived 10 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine , State House, Sierra Leone government.
  2. ↑ "Victory of Sierra Leone President Was by Landslide Margin – 19 May 2002" Archived 11 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine , Voice of America, 26 October 2009.
  3. ↑ Bampia James Bundu, "Solomon Berewa Concedes Defeat to Ernest Bai Koroma in Sierra Leone" Archived 9 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine , Awareness Times, 17 September 2007.
  4. ↑ "S Leone elections 'free and fair'". 13 August 2007. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Sierra Leone Human Rights" Archived 9 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine , Amnesty International.
  6. 1 2 "National Electoral Commission (NEC) Sierra Leone". Nec-sierraleone.org. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 "Sierra Leone: Ernest Bai Koroma wins presidential poll" Archived 11 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine , BBC News – Africa, 23 November 2012,
  8. 1 2 "Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma Reelected" Archived 19 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine , RTT News, 23 November 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Ernest Bai Koroma re-elected as Sierra Leone's President" Archived 19 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine , English.news.cn, 24 November 2012.
  10. ↑ Simon Akam, "Sierra Leone's Koroma promises growth in new term", Reuters, 23 November 2012.
  11. ↑ "Election Results - National Electoral Commission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  12. ↑ "POLITIQUE SIERRA LEONE En Sierra Leone, Ernest Bay Koroma assigné à résidence". Jeune Afrique. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Fofana, Umaru (3 January 2024). "Ernest Bai Koroma: Sierra Leone ex-president charged with treason over attempted coup". BBC . Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  14. ↑ Makeni is the nearest city, but some sources suggest that he was born in Makari Gbanti chiefdom. Kandeh, Mariama (2 April 2008). "Sierra Leone: Makari Gbanti Women Suffer Violations". Concord Times. Freetown, Sierra Leone. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024.
  15. ↑ Tarawalie, Sheka (5 July 2008). "Crawler's Special Written Sometime in Mid-November, 2007". Sierra Herald. Archived from the original on 9 July 2008.
  16. ↑ Sawyerr, Ralph (28 June 2011). "President Koroma honours his late father Sylvanus Koroma at memorial service and launched a new foundation in his memory". Newstime Africa. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Kiva - Loans that change lives". Archived from the original on 7 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  18. ↑ Mohamed Samura, "Profile: Ernest Bai Koroma, Sierra Leone’s new head of state" [ permanent dead link ], African Press Agency, 1 October 2007.
  19. ↑ "New president of West African country is Wesleyan" Archived 27 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine , NCN News, 20 September 2007.
  20. ↑ "Sierra Leone: President Koroma is 'Wesleyan Hero'". Concord Times. Freetown: AllAfrica. 14 October 2008. Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Ernest Bai Koroma" Archived 24 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine , My Africa. AllAfrica.
  22. ↑ "Sierra Leone's First-Daughter Graduates with Honours in Law as Dad Drops in to Witness the Proud Occasion" Archived 24 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine , NTA Newstime Africa, 17 July 2010.
  23. ↑ "Sierra Leone: APC Convention: Ekutay Backs Ernest Koroma", Concord Times (Freetown), 25 February 2002. AllAfrica.
  24. ↑ "Police Warn APC Leaders". Africa News Service, 2 March 2005.
  25. ↑ Sierra Leone News Archives, March 2002 Archived 17 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine , sierra-leone.org.
  26. ↑ "SIERRA LEONE: New cabinet announced" Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine , IRIN-WA Weekly Roundup 124, 18–24 May 2002.
  27. ↑ Sierra Leone News Archives, May 2002 Archived 19 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine , sierra-leone.org.
  28. ↑ Osman Benk Sankoh, "Sierra Leone: Supreme Court Rules Ernest Koroma No Longer APC Leader", Concord Times (Freetown), 23 June 2004.
  29. ↑ Sayoh Kamara, "APC Gets Final Peace in Sierra Leone", Awareness Times, 5 April 2007.
  30. ↑ "Sierra Leone’s main opposition party settles internal dispute" Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine , African Press Agency, 6 April 2007.
  31. ↑ Umaru Fofan, Umaru (3 January 2023). "Sierra Leone charges ex-president Koroma with treason over foiled coup".
  32. ↑ Alpha Kanu, "Statement issued by the All People's Congress in Sierra Leone" Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Awareness Times (news.sl), 24 July 2007.
  33. ↑ James Butty, "Sierra Leone Investigates Alleged Attempted Assassination", VOA News, 24 July 2007.
  34. ↑ "Freetown opposition party wins majority" Archived 15 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine , Reuters (IOL), 24 August 2007.
  35. ↑ "Presidential runoff in Sierra Leone went smoothly, observers say, urging calm as votes counted" Archived 3 January 2013 at archive.today , Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 9 September 2007.
  36. ↑ Katrina Manson, "Sleone leader vows to fight corruption", Reuters (IOL), 14 September 2007.
  37. ↑ Rod MacJohnson, "Sierra Leone gets a new leader", AFP (The Times, South Africa), 17 September 2007.
  38. ↑ "S Leone run-off results questioned" Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Al Jazeera, 16 September 2007.
  39. ↑ Katrina Manson and Christo Johnson, "Koroma pledges healing in Sierra Leone" Archived 8 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine , Reuters (IOL), 18 September 2007.
  40. ↑ "Sierra Leone's new leader sworn in" Archived 22 September 2007 at archive.today , Al Jazeera, 18 September 2007.
  41. ↑ Saliou Samb, "New leader seeks deeper regional ties", Reuters (IOL), 21 September 2007.
  42. 1 2 3 "Sierra Leonean leader’s piecemeal cabinet appointments" Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine , African Press Agency, 16 October 2007.
  43. 1 2 "New Sierra Leonean leader appoints first cabinet" Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine , African Press Agency, 9 October 2007.
  44. ↑ "Sierra Leone: Ten more new cabinet appointments made" Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine , African Press Agency, 13 October 2007.
  45. 1 2 "Sierra Leone's New President Inaugurated" Archived 18 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine , VOA News, 15 November 2007.
  46. 1 2 "SL leader pledges graft crackdown" Archived 7 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine , BBC News, 15 November 2007.
  47. ↑ Sierra Leone's President H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma Inaugurated in Freetown Archived 14 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine . Government of Liberia. 15 November 2007
  48. ↑ SL leader pledges graft crackdown Archived 7 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine . 15 November 2007.
  49. ↑ "S Leone president declares assets" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine , BBC News, 1 September 2008.
  50. ↑ Sierra Herald, 4 September 2008.
  51. ↑ Mark Doyle, "Can S Leone flush away corruption?" BBC, 23 January 2009.
  52. ↑ Africa, Mining Review (8 February 2017). "Chinese investment boosts Sierra Leone's mining outlook". Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  53. ↑ "THE GROWING INLFUENCE OF CHINA IN SIERRA LEONE | Standard Times Press". Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  54. ↑ "The Lancet Global Health: blog posts". www.thelancet.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  55. ↑ "Sierra Leone's free health care initiative: financing implications". HEART. 17 October 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  56. ↑ "Sierra Leone Loses Track of Millions in Ebola Funds - The New York Times". The New York Times. Agence France-Presse. 15 February 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  57. ↑ O'Carroll, Lisa (16 February 2015). "A third of Sierra Leone's Ebola budget unaccounted for, says report". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2019– via www.theguardian.com.
  58. ↑ Thomas, Abdul Rashid (19 December 2015). "Sierra Leone journalist Leigh arrested again by Koroma government". Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  59. ↑ "CPJ calls on Sierra Leone to release newspaper editor". cpj.org. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  60. ↑ "Editor arrested for comparing Sierra Leone president to a rat | Media | The Guardian". TheGuardian.com . 25 October 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  61. ↑ "Sierra Leone editor arrested for comparing president to rat". Reuters. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2019– via www.reuters.com.
  62. ↑ "Sierra Leone: Journalist arrested after questioning official Ebola response | World news | The Guardian". TheGuardian.com . 5 November 2014. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  63. ↑ "In Sierra Leone, journalist imprisoned after criticizing president". cpj.org. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  64. ↑ "Sierra Leone imprisons journalist under emergency Ebola measures". Reuters. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2019– via www.reuters.com.
  65. ↑ "Sierra Leone Koidu mine: Foreigners 'holed up' after clashes - BBC News". BBC News. 19 December 2012. Archived from the original on 21 May 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  66. ↑ "Police kill striking diamond miners in Sierra Leone". libcom.org. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  67. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  68. ↑ Thomas, Abdul Rashid (16 August 2016). "Several young protesters gunned down by police in northern Sierra Leone". Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  69. ↑ "Over Kabala killings…". Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  70. ↑ "Riot reported in Kabala – Cocorioko". Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  71. ↑ "Blair pushes Sierra Leone tourism" Archived 24 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine , BBC, 28 April 2009.
  72. ↑ "Paradise regained in Sierra Leone" Archived 24 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine , The Independent (London), 2 May 2009.
  73. ↑ "Shadows over Sierra Leone" Archived 8 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine , BBC World Service, 3 August 2009.
  74. ↑ "Sierra Leone seeks aid and investment from UK mission". Reuters. 27 January 2008.
  75. 1 2 "Britain has foreign policy fans in Sierra Leone". Reuters. 12 August 2007. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  76. ↑ "UK pledges £80m more aid to tackle Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone". TheGuardian.com . 23 October 2014.
  77. ↑ "UK to send troops, aircraft and ship to tackle Ebola in Sierra Leone". Reuters. 8 October 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  78. ↑ S Leone president declares assets Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine . BBC. 1 September 2008.
  79. ↑ "Sierratel joins CDMA network today". Awoko (Freetown). 24 April 2009.
  80. ↑ "Sierra Leone: Office of the Ombudsman Empowered/Koroma approves public sector reform" Archived 30 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine . Mohamed Massaquoi, Concord Times (Freetown). 24 April 2009.
  81. ↑ "Sierra Leone sets up forest park" Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine , BBC, 10 December 2007.
  82. ↑ "Sierra Leone bans timber exports" Archived 12 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine , BBC. 15 January 2008.
  83. ↑ "Mugabe aide tells West: 'Go hang'" Archived 19 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine , BBC. 1 July 2008.
  84. ↑ Vanguard, The Patriotic (3 July 2008). "President Koroma, the Zimbabwe Crisis and the future of Democracy in Africa". The Patriotic Vanguard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  85. ↑ "S Leone pledges cocaine crackdown" Archived 24 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine , BBC. 22 July 2008.
  86. ↑ "Unrest 'appals' S Leone leaders" Archived 24 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine , BBC. 14 August 2008.
  87. ↑ "APC Elections Results 2009". Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  88. ↑ Bampia Bundu & Abdul Karim Kabia, "Sierra Leone's Ruling APC Party Opens their National Delegates Convention - Highlights" Archived 24 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine , Awareness Times, 17 April 2009.
  89. ↑ "In Sierra Leone, Makeni Women Hail First Lady" Archived 27 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine , Awareness Times, 23 April 2009.
  90. ↑ "Revealed By An Insider… How & Why Dr. Samura Kamara Was Selected As APC Flag Bearer". Global Times Newspaper. Amadu Daramy. Retrieved 25 March 2021.[ permanent dead link ]
  91. ↑ "Why the Sierra Leone election was lost by APC after ten years of governance". The Sierra Leone Telegraph. Yusuf Bangura. 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  92. ↑ "SLPP Commission of Inquiry starts in January". Cocorioko. Kabs Kanu. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  93. ↑ "SLPP Commission of Inquiry Judge Bankole Thompson Blasts Maada Bio for Misuse of Power". The Organizer.net. Awareness Times Newspaper. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the All People's Congress
2002–present		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minority Leader of Parliament
2005–2007		Succeeded by
Emmanuel Tommy
Preceded by President of Sierra Leone
2007–2018		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.