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Claim: A viral Facebook post by SL News Blog claims that the person in the photo is the “Prime Minister of Sierra Leone,” pictured with the President of Senegal in Japan.
Verdict: Misleading. Sierra Leone does not have a Prime Minister. The person in the photo is Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, not the Prime Minister.
Full Text
SL News Blog posted an image on Facebook showing Dr. David Moinina Sengeh standing with the Senegalese President. The caption describes Sengeh as the Prime Minister of Sierra Leone. This post has generated over 1,000 reactions, dozens of comments, and shares.
However, the claim is misleading. Sierra Leone does not operate a Prime Ministerial system of government. The country has a President, who serves as both Head of State and Head of Government, and a Chief Minister, who coordinates government business.
Verification
Who is in the photo?
The individual on the right is Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, appointed Chief Minister of Sierra Leone in July 2023. He is listed officially on the State House website as the Chief Minister, not Prime Minister.
Does Sierra Leone have a Prime Minister?
No. Sierra Leone last had a Prime Minister during the Margai and Siaka Stevens era (1961–1971). In 1971, the country became a Republic, abolishing the Prime Minister role when Siaka Stevens declared Sierra Leone a Republic. This is documented by Sierra Leone web- Sierra Leonean Heroes; History of Sierra Leone.
Current government structure
Sierra Leone operates a presidential system, with executive power vested solely in the President. The official Government of Sierra Leone portal confirms that the President is both Head of State and Government, with no Prime Minister role. The role created close to the claimed Prime Minister role is the Office of the Chief Minister, which is entirely different from the former.
Photo confirmation from the Chief Minister’s latest post
The latest post on Facebook by Dr. David Sengeh on the Chief’s diary, his official Facebook page, was posted with the caption The Chief’s Diary: In Tokyo Representing Sierra Leone and Africa at TICAD9. Among the pictures accompanying this post was a photo posted by the claimant, asserting Dr. David Sengeh as the Prime Minister of Sierra Leone. This and the verifications provided earlier contradict the claim that Dr David Sengeh is the Prime Minister but Chief Minister of Sierra Leone.
Conclusion
The post by SL News Blog is misleading. The person in the photo is Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, not a Prime Minister. Sierra Leone has not had a Prime Minister since 1971, when the country adopted a republican system of government. Thus, the post claims that the Senegal President, alongside the Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, is misleading.
