List of heads of government of Sierra Leone

Last updated

Chief Minister of Sierra Leone
Chif Minista fɔ Salone (Krio)
Coat of arms of Sierra Leone.svg
David Moinina Sengeh in Boston in 2013 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
David Moinina Sengeh
since 10 July 2023
Appointer Governor-General of Sierra Leone (1961–1971)
President of Sierra Leone (1971–1978, 2018–present)
Formation27 April 1961
8 May 2018 (restored)
First holder Milton Margai
Abolished15 June 1978 – 8 May 2018

This is a list of heads of government of Sierra Leone, from the establishment of the office of Chief Minister in 1954 until the present day. The office of Prime Minister was abolished after the constitutional referendum in 1978, and reinstated in 2018 with the appointment of David J. Francis as Chief Minister.

Contents

List of officeholders

Political parties
   Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
   All People's Congress (APC)
Other factions
   Independent
Symbols

Died in office

Chief minister of Sierra Leone Protectorate

In 1953, Sierra Leone was granted local ministerial powers and Milton Margai was made Chief Minister and later prime minister. A new constitution ensured Sierra Leone a parliamentary system within the Commonwealth of Nations and was formally adopted in 1958.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 No image.svg Sir Milton Margai
(1895–1964)
1951
1957
9 July 195414 August 19584 years, 36 days SLPP

Prime minister of Sierra Leone Protectorate

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 No image.svg Sir Milton Margai
(1895–1964)
14 August 195827 April 19612 years, 256 days SLPP

Prime ministers of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone was granted independence by the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961 and became a free state with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. In 1971 Sierra Leone became a republic with Siaka Stevens as executive president.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 No image.svg Sir Milton Margai
(1895–1964)
1962 27 April 196128 April 1964 [†] 3 years, 1 day SLPP
2 No image.svg Sir Albert Margai
(1910–1980)
28 April 196421 March 19672 years, 327 days SLPP
3 President Siaka Stevens at US Embassy reception in Freetown (cropped).png Siaka Stevens
(1905–1988)
1967 21 March 1967
(deposed.)
minutes APC

Military rule (1967–1968)

The NRC was group of senior military officers took power power in 1967 removing Siaka Stevens from the office of prime minister and ruled the nation from 1967 to 1968 . The NRC was overthrown in April 1968 by a group of military officers who reinstated Stevens as Prime Minister.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
David Lansana 1965-04-29 (cropped).jpg Brigadier David Lansana
(1922–1975)
23 March 196725 March 19672 days Military
No image.svg Commissioner Leslie William Leigh
(1921–1980)
Chairman of the NRC
25 March 196728 March 19673 days Military
No image.svg Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith
(1931–1996)
Chairman of the NRC
28 March 196718 April 1968
( deposed.)
1 year, 21 days Military
No image.svg Brigadier John Amadu Bangura
(1930–1970)
Chairman of the ACRM
18 April 196822 April 19684 days Military

Prime ministers of Sierra Leone

Siaka Stevens was reinstated by a group of military officers who overthrew NRC. In 1971 Siaka Stevens abolished the monarchy and he made Sierra Leone and republic with Stevens as an executive president.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
(3) President Siaka Stevens at US Embassy reception in Freetown (cropped).png Siaka Stevens
(1905–1988)
26 April 196821 April 19712 years, 360 days APC
4 Sorie Ibrahim Koroma.jpg Sorie Ibrahim Koroma
(1927–1994)
1973 21 April 19718 July 19754 years, 78 days APC
5 No image.svg Christian Alusine Kamara-Taylor
(1917–1985)
1977 8 July 197515 June 19782 years, 342 days APC

Chief ministers of Sierra Leone

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
6 David J. Francis.jpg David J. Francis
(born 1965)
2018 8 May 201830 April 20212 years, 357 days Independent
7 Jacob Jusu Saffa (cropped).jpg Jacob Jusu Saffa
(born 19??)
30 April 202110 July 20232 years, 71 days Independent
8 David Moinina Sengeh in Boston in 2013 (cropped).jpg David Moinina Sengeh
(born 1986/87)
2023 10 July 2023Incumbent249 days Independent

See also

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Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It shares its southeastern border with Liberia and is bordered by Guinea to the north. With a land area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi), Sierra Leone has a tropical climate and with a variety of environments ranging from savannas to rainforests. According to the 2015 census, Sierra Leone has a population of 7,092,113, with Freetown serving as both the capital and largest city. The country is divided into five administrative regions, which are further subdivided into 16 districts.

Sierra Leone first became inhabited by indigenous African peoples at least 2,500 years ago. The Limba were the first tribe known to inhabit Sierra Leone. The dense tropical rainforest partially isolated the region from other West African cultures, and it became a refuge for peoples escaping violence and jihads. Sierra Leone was named by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra, who mapped the region in 1462. The Freetown estuary provided a good natural harbour for ships to shelter and replenish drinking water, and gained more international attention as coastal and trans-Atlantic trade supplanted trans-Saharan trade.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siaka Stevens</span> Leader of Sierra Leone from 1967-85

Siaka Probyn Stevens was the leader of Sierra Leone from 1967 to 1985, serving as Prime Minister from 1967 to 1971 and as President from 1971 to 1985. Stevens' leadership was often characterized by patrimonial rule and self-indulgence, consolidating power by means of corruption and exploitation.

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