Sierra Leoneans are not astonished about the number of APC presidential flagbearers who have officially declared to contest the 2028 Presidential Election, while on the part of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), none of the Presidential aspirant has officially declared their intentions only unverified rumours are being posted on social media mentioning names of high profile SLPP member like Fatima Maada Bio (First Lady) Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Hon. Mohamed Tunis (former ECOWAS Speaker) Dr. David Sengeh (Chief Minister) Kandeh Kolleh Yumkelleh (KKY), and Lahai Lawrence Leema keep surfacing.
Amongst the names mentioned below are aspiring for the prestigious job-President of the Republic of Sierra should have a strong educational knowledge and experience in governance leadership which entails economics, effective service delivery to the citizens, international diplomacy, a person with no iota of doubt that his or her main goal is to overhaul the entire governance structure of Sierra Leone. The flagbearers must also be seen to bring extensive expertise in finance, energy and global markets knowledge.
Political pundits say the current state of the country’s economy and other institutional outfits are in the brink of collapse therefore Sierra Leone needs a personality who will have to apply a workable austerity measures to correct the wrongs. They further say if the next president applies a workable austerity measures Sierra Leoneans should be prepared to swallow the bitter pill of the effects of austerity implementation.
Though the below aforementioned names of Presidential aspirants is just a tip of the iceberg as more names are expected to emerge from the two leading political parties-APC and SLPP.
Ady Macauley : LL.B (Hons) from the University of London; Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Education from the Inns of Court School of Law, City University, London.
Alhaji Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh : BA in Political Science from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone); MSc in Political Science from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, PhD University of Bordeaux, France
Alhaji Musa Tarawally: No detailed public information about his education beyond secondary schooling at Moyamba Boys Secondary School. However, information gathered say he attended Eastern Polytechnic College.
Alie Kabba: Not much is available online except that he pursued advanced degrees in international relations, political science and development studies in universities in the USA
Bai Mahmoud Bangura: Attended Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone). Details of additional degrees are not publicly available.
Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah (Chericoco): Education details not publicly detailed but he is one of the legal luminaries in Sierra Leone.
David Sengeh: Holds a PhD in Biomechatronics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); bachelor’s degree in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University, USA.
Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai: is said to hold a PhD in Constitutional and Administrative Law from the University of London (Institute of Advanced Legal Studies); additional studies at Stanford University, London School of Economics, Central European University, University of Oxford, and Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone)
Fatima Bio: BA (Hons) in Performing Arts from Roehampton Institute, London and BA (Hons) in Journalism from the University of the Arts London
Femi Claudius Cole: Education details not publicly detailed but known as a healthcare professional and nurse.
Francis Ben Kaifala: Multiple LLMs including in Public International Law, Global Governance, and Leadership from Harvard Law School; LL.M in Law and Economics from Queen Mary University of London; LL.M in Comparative Constitutional Law from the University of Texas at Austin; LL.B (Hons) from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone)
Ibrahim Bangura: PhD in Economics from the Leipzig Graduate School of Management in Germany; BA in Political Science and History from the University of Sierra Leone; MSc in Gender Studies from the University of Sierra Leone; additional master’s degrees in Peace and Conflict Studies and related fields.
Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK): LLM in International Comparative Law from Southern Methodist University, USA, and LL.B (Hons) from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone)
Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella (KKY): PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois; MSc in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University; BSc in General Agriculture from Njala University College (University of Sierra Leone).
Kaifala Marah: PhD in Politics and Finance (Political Economy) from the University of Hull, UK; Master’s in Public Policy from the State University of New York; bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone).
Lahai Lawrence Leema: LL.B from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone).
Mohamed Omudu Kamara (Jagaban): No information available about his educational background as we go to press.
Omrie Golley: BA (Hons) from the University of Hull.
Osman Timbo: LLM in International Criminal Justice and International Human Rights Law from the University of London; LL.B from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone).
Richard Konteh : (PhD) in Spatial Planning (Specializing in Development Coordination) from the University of Dortmund in Germany, Master of Science Degree in Development Planning and Management, (jointly offered by the University of Dortmund, Germany, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Accra, Ghana. MA in Education from Njala University and BA in Education from Njala University.
Samura Kamara: PhD in Development Economics from Bangor University (University College of North Wales); MSc and MA from Bangor University; BSc in Economics from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone).
Samuel Sam-Sumana: BSc in Management Information Systems from Metropolitan State University, USA.
Sidi Mohamed Tunis: BSc in Chemistry from Cuttington University; additional studies at the Islamic Secondary School in Kenema.
Sylvia Blyden: MBChB and BSc (Hons) in Medicine from the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (University of Sierra Leone); and several postgraduate studies.
Timothy Kabba : Executive MBA from Jack Welch Management Institute, Strayer University, USA; Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Petroleum Engineering from Saint Petersburg Mining University, Russia.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr: MSc in International Relations and Politics of the World Economy from the London School of Economics; BSc (Hons) in Economics from Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone). Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
At least seven (7) of those aspiring to lead Sierra Leone in 2028 hold a Ph.D. (see pictures below)
Is education an important factor for you in electing the next president?
-Note: We’ll keep this KNOW YOUR LEADERS series ongoing. Future editions will look at marital status, experience in previous occupations, any past public scandals or blemishes including allegations etc.
We’ll keep you inform in subsequent editions in the ‘Know Your Leaders’.
