A Facebook page, Malik Malik, recently claimed that Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, a senior member of President Julius Maada Bio's government, is the Prime Minister of Sierra Leone. This claim has been verified as false. Sierra Leone has not had a Prime Minister since the office was abolished in 1978. The confusion arises from Sengeh's actual role as Chief Minister, a separate office that President Julius Maada Bio restored in 2018.
Sierra Leone's history shows that the last Prime Minister, Christian Kamara-Taylor, left office in 1978 when the office was abolished. Since then, the country has had no Prime Minister. In contrast, the office of Chief Minister was restored in 2018, and David Sengeh was appointed to this position in July 2023. Sengeh has held several senior roles since joining the government in 2018, including serving as Sierra Leone's first Chief Innovation Officer and Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.
The Prime Minister's role in Sierra Leone was subordinate to Queen Elizabeth II, with the Prime Minister holding operational authority over domestic and foreign affairs. Since Sierra Leone gained independence in 1961, the country has had five Prime Ministers: Sir Milton Margai, Sir Albert Margai, Siaka Stevens, Sorie Ibrahim Koroma, and Christian Alusine Kamara-Taylor. The office of Prime Minister was abolished in 1978, and since then, the President has served as both head of state and head of government.
The Chief Minister's office, on the other hand, is a modern one, restored in 2018 by President Julius Maada Bio. The Chief Minister serves as a high-level coordinator of government business, appointed by the President. David Sengeh is the second holder of this office in its current form, following Professor David Francis, who served from April 2018 to April 2021.
The roles of Prime Minister and Chief Minister are distinct, with different powers. A Prime Minister typically serves as the chief executive head of government, while a separate figure is the head of state. In Sierra Leone today, the President is both head of state and head of government, assisted by the Vice President. The Chief Minister is an appointed coordinator who reports to the President, bridging policy gaps, accelerating delivery, and overseeing ministries, departments, and agencies.
The claim that Sengeh is Sierra Leone's Prime Minister is false and could mislead the public about how Sierra Leone is governed. This false claim was made by a Facebook page, Malik Malik, and was investigated by DUBAWA, a fact-checking organization. DUBAWA reviewed Sierra Leone's history and verified the accuracy of Sengeh's role as Chief Minister.
In conclusion, David Moinina Sengeh is not Sierra Leone's Prime Minister but rather the Chief Minister, a distinct office with different powers. Sierra Leone has had no Prime Minister since 1978, and the Chief Minister's role is to coordinate government business and report to the President.
Key points
- The office of Prime Minister was abolished in Sierra Leone in 1978.
- David Sengeh is the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, not the Prime Minister.
- The roles of Prime Minister and Chief Minister in Sierra Leone have distinct powers and responsibilities.
