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, 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

Standard of the Governor-General of Sierra Leone

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

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
1		Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith (1933–1996)	27 April 1967	18 April 1968 (Deposed)	357 days	National Reformation Council
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

  Denotes Vice President acting as President

President			Term of Office			Political Party (at time of election)
№	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Duration
1		Christopher Okoro Cole (1921–1990)	19 April 1971	21 April 1971	2 days	Independent
2		Siaka Stevens (1905–1988)	21 April 1971	28 November 1985	14 years, 221 days	All People's Congress
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
4		Captain Yahya Kanu (19??–1992)	30 April 1992	1 May 1992	1 day	National Provisional Defense Council
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
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

  Denotes Vice President acting as President

President			Term of Office			Political Party (at time of election)
№	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Duration
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
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

  Denotes Vice President acting as President

President			Term of Office			Political Party (at time of election)
№	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Duration
9		Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (1932–2014)	13 February 1998	17 September 2007	9 years, 216 days	Sierra Leone People's Party
10		Ernest Bai Koroma (1953–)	17 September 2007	Incumbent	(as of 24 April 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	(1926-04-21) April 21, 1926
Valentine Strasser	1992–1996	Military ruler	(1967-04-26) April 26, 1967
Julius Maada Bio	1996	Military ruler	(1964-05-12) May 12, 1964
Johnny Paul Koroma	1997–1998	Military ruler	(1960-05-09) May 9, 1960

External links

• World Statesmen – Sierra Leone
• Heads of State before Independence – Sierra Leone