List of heads of state of Sierra Leone

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 of Sierra Leone 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 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.

№	Portrait	Monarch (Birth–Death)	Reign			Royal House	Prime Minister
			Reign start	Reign end	Duration
1		Queen Elizabeth II (1926–)	27 April 1961	19 April 1971	9 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. 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

  Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government

№	Portrait	Governor-General (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch	Prime Minister
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Sir Maurice Henry Dorman (1912–1993)	27 April 1961	5 May 1962	1 year, 8 days	Elizabeth II	M. Margai
2		Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston (1898–1969)	5 May 1962	11 July 1962	4 years, 322 days	Elizabeth II	M. Margai Margai Stevens
			11 July 1962	23 March 1967 (deposed)
3		Sir Banja Tejan-Sie (1917–2000)	22 March 1968	29 September 1970	3 years, 9 days	Elizabeth II	Stevens
			29 September 1970	31 March 1971
–		Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990)	31 March 1971	19 April 1971	19 days	Elizabeth II	Stevens

Military rule (1967–1968)

№	Portrait	Head of State (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
		Brigadier David Lansana (1922–1975)	23 March 1967	25 March 1967	2 days	Military
		Commissioner Leslie William Leigh (1921–1980)	25 March 1967	28 March 1967	3 days	National Reformation Council
		Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith (1931–1996)	28 March 1967	18 April 1968 (deposed)	1 year, 21 days	National Reformation Council
		Brigadier John Amadu Bangura (1930–1970)	18 April 1968	22 April 1968	4 days	National Interim 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 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.

Status

  Denotes Chief Justice acting as President

№	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime Minister
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
–		Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990)	—	19 April 1971	21 April 1971	2 days	[1]	Stevens
1		Siaka Stevens (1905–1988)	—	21 April 1971	28 November 1985 (retired)	14 years, 221 days	All People's Congress	Koroma Kamara-Taylor
2		Joseph Saidu Momoh (1937–2003)	1985	28 November 1985	29 April 1992 (deposed)	6 years, 153 days	All People's Congress	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.

№	Portrait	Head of State (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
3		Captain Yahya Kanu (died 1992)	30 April 1992	1 May 1992	1 day	National Provisional Defence Council
4		Captain Valentine Strasser (1967–)	1 May 1992	6 May 1992	3 years, 261 days	National Provisional Ruling Council
			6 May 1992	17 January 1996 (deposed)		Supreme Council of State
5		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

  Denotes Vice-President acting as President

№	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
6		Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014)	1996	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.

№	Portrait	Head of State (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
7		Major Johnny Paul Koroma (1960–2003?)	25 May 1997	12 February 1998 (deposed)	263 days	Armed Forces Revolutionary Council

Second 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

  Denotes Vice-President acting as President

№	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
(6)		Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014)	2002	13 February 1998	17 September 2007	9 years, 216 days	Sierra Leone People's Party
8		Ernest Bai Koroma (1953–)	2007 2012	17 September 2007	4 April 2018	10 years, 199 days	All People's Congress
(5)		Julius Maada Bio (1964–)	2018	4 April 2018	Incumbent	2 years, 298 days	Sierra Leone People's Party

Standards

• 
  Royal Standard
• 
  Governor-General's Standard
• 
  Presidential Standard

Living former heads of state

There are three living former Sierra Leonean Heads of State:

Image	Name	Term/Reign	Office	Date of birth
	Elizabeth II	1961–1971	Queen	21 April 1926
	Valentine Strasser	1992–1996	Military ruler	26 April 1967
	Ernest Bai Koroma	2007–2018	President	2 October 1953

See also

• Sierra Leone presidents and head of state by tribes

References

1. Was Chief Justice of Sierra Leone

External links

• World Statesmen – Sierra Leone
• Rulers.org – Sierra Leone