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.
From 1961 to 1971 the head of state under the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961 was the Queen, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch 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 under the Constitution of 1971 and the monarch and Governor-General were replaced by an executive President.
Monarch (1961–1971)
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
Queen | Reign | Royal House | Prime Minister(s) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Start | End | Duration | ||
1 | Elizabeth II (1926–) |
27 April 1961 | 19 April 1971 | 9 years, 357 days | Windsor | Margai Margai Stevens |
Governors-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. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Sierra Leone without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
- Status
Governor-General | Term of Office | Monarch | Prime Minister(s) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | ||
1 | Sir Maurice Henry Dorman (1912–1993) |
27 April 1961 | 5 May 1962 | 1 year, 8 days | Elizabeth II | Margai | |
2 | Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston (1898–1969) |
5 May 1962 | 27 April 1967 (Deposed) |
5 years, 353 days | Elizabeth II | Margai Margai Stevens | |
3 | Sir Banja Tejan-Sie (1917–2000) |
22 April 1968 | 31 March 1971 | 2 years, 343 days | Elizabeth II | Stevens | |
4 | Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990) |
31 March 1971 | 19 April 1971 | 19 days | Elizabeth II | Stevens |
Military rule (1967–1968)
Term of Office | Military | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | |
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color;"|1 | Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith (1933–1996) |
27 April 1967 | 18 April 1968 (Deposed) |
357 days | National Reformation Council | |
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color;"|2 | Brigadier John Amadu Bangura (1930–1970) |
18 April 1968 | 22 April 1968 | 4 days | National Reformation Council |
First Republic (1971–1992)
Under the 1971 Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the President replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state a year later 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, then in 1991 a new Constitution was made to end the status as a one-party state. In the event of a vacancy the Vice President served as Acting President.
- Status
President | Term of Office | Political Party (at time of election) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | |
style="background:Template:Independent/meta/color; color:black"|1 | Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990) |
19 April 1971 | 21 April 1971 | 2 days | Independent | |
style="background:Template:All People's Congress/meta/color; color:white"|2 | Siaka Stevens (1905–1988) |
21 April 1971 | 28 November 1985 | 14 years, 221 days | All People's Congress | |
style="background:Template:All People's Congress/meta/color; color:white"|3 | Joseph Saidu Momoh (1937–2003) |
28 November 1985 | 29 April 1992 (Deposed) |
6 years, 153 days | All People's Congress |
Military rule (1992–1996)
Captain Yahya Kanu led a coup d'état which overthrew President Momoh and his government, again dissolving all political parties and the Parliament.
Head of State | Term of Office | Military | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | |
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color;"|4 | Captain Yahya Kanu (19??–1992) |
30 April 1992 | 1 May 1992 | 1 day | National Provisional Defense Council | |
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color;"|5 | Captain Valentine Strasser (1967–) |
1 May 1992 | July 1992 | 3 years, 261 days | National Provisional Defense Council | |
July 1992 | 17 January 1996 (Deposed) |
Supreme Council of State | ||||
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color;"|6 | Brigadier Julius Maada Bio (1964–) |
17 January 1996 | 29 March 1996 | 72 days | Supreme Council of State |
Second Republic (1996–1997)
When the civilian government was restored so was the 1991 Constitution 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.
- Status
President | Term of Office | Political Party (at time of election) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | |
style="background:Template:Sierra Leone People's Party/meta/color; color:white"|7 | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014) |
29 March 1996 | 25 May 1997 (Deposed) |
1 year, 57 days | Sierra Leone People's Party |
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.
Head of State | Term of Office | Military | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | |
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color;"|8 | Major Johnny Paul Koroma (1960–) |
25 May 1997 | 12 February 1998 (Deposed) |
263 days | Armed Forces Revolutionary Council |
Third Republic (1998–present)
The civilian government was restored so was the 1991 Constitution and the Members of Parliament and the President. In the event of a vacancy the Vice President served as Acting President.
- Status
President | Term of Office | Political Party (at time of election) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
№ | Portrait | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Duration | |
style="background:Template:Sierra Leone People's Party/meta/color; color:white"|9 | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014) |
13 February 1998 | 17 September 2007 | 9 years, 216 days | Sierra Leone People's Party | |
style="background:Template:All People's Congress/meta/color; color:white"|10 | Ernest Bai Koroma (1953–) |
17 September 2007 | Incumbent | 17 years, 69 days (as of 25 November 2024) |
All People's Congress |
Living former heads of state
Name | Term/Reign | Office | Date of birth |
---|---|---|---|
Elizabeth II | 1961–1971 | Queen of Sierra Leone | April 21, 1926 |
Valentine Strasser | 1992–1996 | Military ruler | April 26, 1967 |
Julius Maada Bio | 1996 | Military ruler | May 12, 1964 |
Johnny Paul Koroma | 1997–1998 | Military ruler | May 9, 1960 |