List of heads of state of Sierra Leone

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This is a list of the heads of state of Sierra Leone, from the independence of the Sierra Leone in 1961 to the present day.

Contents

From 1961 to 1971 the head of state under the Constitution of 1961 was the Queen of Sierra Leone Elizabeth II, who was also the Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Sierra Leone by a governor-general. Sierra Leone became a republic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1971 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by an ceremonial president, a year later it became an executive presidency.

Monarch (1961–1971)

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ReignRoyal House Prime minister(s)
Reign startReign endDuration
1 Queen Elizabeth II official portrait for 1959 tour (retouched) (cropped) (3-to-4 aspect ratio).jpg Queen Elizabeth II
(1926–2022)
27 April 196119 April 19719 years, 357 days Windsor M. Margai
A. Margai
Stevens

Governor-general

The governor-general was the representative of the monarch in Sierra Leone and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Sierra Leone was granted independence by the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous dominion and later promoted to independence as defined by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was to be always appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Sierra Leone without the involvement of the British government, with the sole exception of Maurice Henry Dorman, the former colonial governor, who served as governor-general temporarily until he was replaced by Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston. In the event of a vacancy the chief justice would have served as the officer administering the government.

Status
  Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government
No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeMonarch Prime minister(s)
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 No image.png Sir Maurice Henry Dorman
(1912–1993)
27 April 19615 May 19621 year, 8 days Elizabeth II M. Margai
2 No image.png Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston
(1898–1969)
5 May 196211 July 19624 years, 322 days M. Margai
Margai
Stevens
11 July 196223 March 1967
(Deposed in a coup)
3 No image.png Sir Banja Tejan-Sie
(1917–2000)
22 March 196829 September 19703 years, 9 days Stevens
29 September 197031 March 1971
No image.png Christopher Okoro Cole
(1921–1990)
31 March 197119 April 197119 days

Military rule (1967–1968)

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 in a coup)
1 year, 21 days Military
No image.svg Brigadier John Amadu Bangura
(1930–1970)
Chairman of the NIC
18 April 196822 April 19684 days Military

Republic (1971–present)

Political parties
   Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
   All People's Congress (APC)
Other factions
   Independent
   Military
Status
  Denotes acting president

First Republic (1971–1992)

Under the Constitution of 1971, the first constitution of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the president replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state; a year later the presidency became an executive head of state, The president was elected by Parliament for a four-year term. The 1978 Constitution proclaimed Sierra Leone as a one-party state, the president was elected for a seven-year term and can only serve two terms, then in 1991 a new Constitution was made to end the status as a one-party state, the president now serves a five-year term and can only serve two terms. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president served as acting president.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectedTerm of officePolitical party Prime minister(s)
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
No image.png Christopher Okoro Cole
(1921–1990)
19 April 197121 April 19712 days Independent [1] Stevens
1 President Siaka Stevens at US Embassy reception in Freetown (cropped).png Siaka Stevens
(1905–1988)
21 April 197128 November 1985
(Retired)
14 years, 221 days APC Koroma
Kamara-Taylor
2 No image.png Joseph Saidu Momoh
(1937–2003)
1985 28 November 198529 April 1992
(Deposed in a coup)
6 years, 153 days APC Position abolished

Military rule (1992–1996)

Valentine Strasser led a coup d'état which overthrew President Momoh and his government, again dissolving all political parties and the Parliament.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
3 No image.svg Captain Yahya Kanu
(died 1992)
Chairman of the NPDC
29 April 19921 May 19922 days Military
4 No image.svg Captain Valentine Strasser
(born 1967)
Chairman of the NPRC
1 May 199216 January 1996
(Deposed in a coup)
3 years, 260 days Military
Chairman of the SCS
from 6 May 1996
5 Julius Maada Bio - 2023 (cropped).jpg Brigadier Julius Maada Bio
(born 1964)
Chairman of the SCS
16 January 199629 March 199673 days Military

Second Republic (1996–1997)

When the civilian government was restored so was the Constitution of 1991 and in the 1996 elections the SLPP won the election for most seats in Parliament and the presidential election. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president served as acting president.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectedTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
6 Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.jpg Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
(1932–2014)
1996 29 March 199625 May 1997
(Deposed in a coup)
1 year, 57 days SLPP

Military rule (1997–1998)

Major Johnny Koroma led a coup d'état which overthrew President Kabbah and his government, dissolving all political parties and the Parliament.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
7 Johnny Paul Koroma, head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council in Sierra Leone.jpg Major Johnny Paul Koroma
(1960–2003)
Chairman of the AFRC
25 May 199712 February 1998
(Deposed by ECOWAS)
263 days Military

Third Republic (1998–present)

The civilian government was restored, as was the Constitution of 1991 and the members of Parliament and the president. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president served as acting president.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectedTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
(6) Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.jpg Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
(1932–2014)
2002 13 February 199817 September 20079 years, 216 days SLPP
8 Ernest Bai Koroma February 2015.jpg Ernest Bai Koroma
(born 1953)
2007
2012
17 September 20074 April 201810 years, 199 days APC
(5) Julius Maada Bio - 2023 (cropped).jpg Julius Maada Bio
(born 1964)
2018
2023
4 April 2018Incumbent6 years, 51 days SLPP

Timeline since 1971

Ernest Bai KoromaJohnny Paul KoromaAhmad Tejan KabbahJulius Maada BioValentine StrasserYahya KanuJoseph Saidu MomohSiaka StevensChristopher Okoro ColeList of heads of state of Sierra Leone

Standards

See also

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References

  1. Was Chief Justice of Sierra Leone