Chiefdoms of Sierra Leone

The chiefdoms of Sierra Leone are the third-level units of administration in Sierra Leone. There are 190 chiefdoms in Sierra Leone, as of 2017. Previously, there were 149.

Former 149 chiefdoms of Sierra Leone, before 2017

History and organisation

The paramount chiefs and the ruling families in the chiefdoms were recognised and empowered by the British colonial administration when it organised the Protectorate of Sierra Leone in 1896. Typically, chiefs have the power to "raise taxes, control the judicial system, and allocate land, the most important resource in rural areas."

The hereditary paramount chiefs and their sub-chiefs were the sole local government in Sierra Leone until 2004, when the World Bank sponsored the creation of elected local councils. Local notables, known as the Tribal Authority, elect paramount chiefs for life from among the ruling families in each chieftaincy recognised by the British administration in 1896.

Some chieftaincies have several ruling families, and the differences among them in terms of economic progress has been subject to study in 2013. They found there was a positive relationship between the number of ruling families in a chieftaincy and educational, health and economic outcomes in terms of human capital.

The districts of Sierra Leone were divided into 149 chiefdoms of chieftaincies until 2017, as listed below as of 2011. Since 2017, they have been divided into 190 chiefdoms.

Pre-2017 Chiefdoms

Eastern Province

Kailahun District

1. Dea – Baiwala
2. Jaluahun – Segbwema
3. Jawei – Daru
4. Kissi Kama – Dea
5. Kissi Teng – Kangama
6. Kissi Tongi – Buedu
7. Luawa – Kailahun
8. Malema – Jojoima
9. Mandu – Mobai
10. Peje Bongre – Manowa
11. Peje West – Bunumbu
12. Penguia – Sandar
13. Upper Bambara – Pendembu
14. Yawei – Bandajuma

Kenema District

1. Dama – Giema
2. Dodo – Dodo
3. Gaura – Joru
4. Gorama Mende – Tungie
5. Kandu Leppiam – Gbado
6. Koya – Baoma
7. Langurama Ya – Baima
8. Lower Bambara – Panguma
9. Malehgohun – Sembehun
10. Niawa – Sundumei
11. Nomo – Faama
12. Nongowa – Kenema
13. Simbaru – Boajibu
14. Small Bo – Blama
15. Tunkia – Gorahun
16. Wandor – Faala

Kono District

1. Fiama – Njagbwema
2. Gbane Kandor – Koardu
3. Gbane – Ngandorhun
4. Gbense – Yardu
5. Gorama Kono – Kangama
6. Kamara – Tombodu
7. Lei – Siama
8. Mafindor – Kamiendor
9. Nimikoro – Njaiama
10. Nimiyama – Sewafe
11. Sandor – Kayima
12. Soa – Kainkordu
13. Tankoro – New Sembehun
14. Toli – Kondewakor

Northern Province

Bombali District

1. Biriwa – Kamabai
2. Bombali Shebora – Makeni
3. Gbanti Kamaranka – Kamaranka
4. Gbendembu Ngowahun – Kalangba
5. Libeisaygahun – Batkanu
6. Magbaiamba Ndowahun – Hunduwa
7. Makari Gbanti – Masongbon
8. Paki Massabong – Mapaki
9. Safroko Limba – Binkolo
10. Sanda Loko – Kamalo
11. Sanda Tenraren – Mateboi
12. Sella Limba – Kamakwie
13. Tambakha – Fintonia

Koinadugu District

1. Dembelia Sikunia – Sikunia
2. Diang – Kondembaia
3. Folasaba – Musaia
4. Kasunko – Fadugu
5. Mongo – Bendugu
6. Neya – Krubola
7. Nieni – Yiffin
8. Sengbe – Yogomaia
9. Sulima – Falaba
10. Wara-Wara Bafodia – Bafodea
11. Wara-Wara Yagala – Gbawuria

Tonkolili District

1. Gbonkolenken – Yele
2. Kafe Simiria – Mabonto
3. Kalanthuba – Kamankay
4. Dansogoia - Bumbuna
5. Kholifa Mabang - Mabang
6. Kholifa Rowalla – Magburaka
7. Kunike – Masingbi
8. Kunike Barina – Makali
9. Malal Mara – Rochin
10. Sambaia – Bendugu
11. Tane – Matotoka
12. Yoni – Yonibana

North Western Province

Kambia District

1. Brimaia – Kukuna
2. Gbinle Dixing – Tawuya
3. Magbema – Kambia
4. Mambolo – Mambolo
5. Masungbala – Kawula
6. Samu – Kychum
7. Tonko Limba – Madina

Port Loko District

1. Bureh – Mange
2. Buya Romende – Foredugu
3. Debia – Gbinti
4. Kaffu Bullom – Mahera
5. Kasseh – Mahera
6. Koya – Songo
7. Loko Masama – Petifu
8. Maconteh – Unknown
9. Maforki – Port Loko
10. Marampa – Lunsar
11. Masimera – Masimera
12. Sanda Magbolontor – Sendugu
13. T.M. Safroko – Miraykulay

Southern Province

Bo District

1. Badjia – Ngelehun
2. Bagbo – Jimmi
3. Bagbwe – Ngarlu
4. Baoma – Baoma
5. Bumpe–Gao – Bumpe
6. Gbo – Gbo
7. Jaiama Bongor – Telu
8. Kakua – Bo town
9. Komboya – Njala
10. Lugbu – Sumbuya
11. Niawa Lenga – Nengbema
12. Selenga – Dambala
13. Tikonko – Tikonko
14. Valunia – Mongere
15. Wonde – Gboyama

Bonthe District

1. Bendu – Cha Bendu
2. Bum – Madina
3. Dema – Tissana
4. Imperri – Gbangbama
5. Jong – Mattru
6. Kpanda – Kemo Motuo
7. Kwamebai Krim – Benduma
8. Nongoba Bullom – Gbap
9. Sittia – Yonni
10. Sogbini – Tihun
11. Yawbeko – Talia

Moyamba District

1. Bagruwa – Sembehun
2. Bumpe – Rotifunk
3. Dasse – Mano
4. Fakunya – Gandohun
5. Kagboro – Shenge
6. Kaiyamba – Moyamba
7. Kamajei – Senehun
8. Kongbora – Bauya
9. Kori – Taiama
10. Kowa – Njama
11. Lower Banta – Gbangbatoke
12. Ribbi – Bradford
13. Timdale – Bomotoke
14. Upper Banta – Mokelle

Pujehun District

1. Barri – Potoru
2. Gallines Perri – Blama
3. Kpaka – Masam
4. Kpanga Kabonde – Pujehun town
5. Makpele – Zimmi
6. Malen – Sahn
7. Mano Sa Krim – Gbonjema
8. Kpanga Krim – Gobaru
9. Peje – Futta
10. Sorogbema – Fairo
11. Sowa – Bandajuma
12. Yakemo Kpukumu Krim – Karlu

Post-2017 Chiefdoms

Eastern Province

Kailahun District

1. Dea – Baiwala
2. Jahn – ?
3. Jaluahun – Segbwema
4. Jawei – Daru
5. Kissi Kama – Dea
6. Kissi Teng – Kangama
7. Kissi Tongi – Buedu
8. Luawa – Kailahun
9. Malema – Jojoima
10. Mandu – Mobai
11. Peje Bongre – Manowa
12. Peje West – Bunumbu
13. Penguia – Sandar
14. Upper Bambara – Pendembu
15. Yawei – Bandajuma

Notes

Kenema District

1. Dama – Giema
2. Dodo – Dodo
3. Gaura – Joru
4. Gorama Mende – Tungie
5. Kandu Leppiam – Gbado
6. Koya – Baoma
7. Langurama Ya – Baima
8. Lower Bambara – Panguma
9. Malegohun – Sembehun
10. Niawa – Sundumei
11. Nomo – Faama
12. Nongowa – ?
13. Simbaru – Boajibu
14. Small Bo – Blama
15. Tunkia – Gorahun
16. Wando – Faala
17. Kenema City – Kenema

Notes

Kono District

1. Fiama – Njagbwema
2. Gbane Kandor – Koardu
3. Gbane – Ngandorhun
4. Gbense – Yardu
5. Gorama Kono – Kangama
6. Kamara – Tombodu
7. Lei – Siama
8. Mafindor – Kamiendor
9. Nimikoro – Njaiama
10. Nimiyama – Sewafe
11. Sandor – Kayima
12. Soa – Kainkordu
13. Tankoro – Bayama Tankoo
14. Toli – Kondewakor
15. Koidu Town – Koidu

Notes

Northern Province

Bombali District

1. Biriwa – Kamabai
2. Bombali Shebora – ?
3. Bombali Siari – ?
4. Gbanti – ?
5. Gbendembu – ?
6. Kamaranka – Kamaranka
7. Magbaiamba Ndowahun – Hunduwa
8. Makari – Masongbon
9. Mara – ?
10. Ngowahun – Kalangba
11. Paki Massabong – Mapaki
12. Safroko Limba – Binkolo
13. Makeni City – Makeni

Notes

Falaba District

1. Delemandugu – ?
2. Dembelia – Musaia
3. Dembelia Sikunia – Sikunia
4. Folasaba – ?
5. Kamadu Yiraia – ?
6. Kebelia – ?
7. Kulor Saradu – ?
8. Mongo – Bendugu
9. Morfindugu – ?
10. Neya – Krubola
11. Nyedu – ?
12. Sulima – Falaba
13. Wollay Barawa – ?

Notes

Koinadugu District

1. Diang – Kondembaia
2. Gbonkobon Kayaka – ?
3. Kalian – ?
4. Kamukeh' – ?
5. Kasunko KaKellian – ?
6. Nieni – Yiffin
7. Sengbe – Yogomaia
8. Tamiso – Fadugu
9. Wara-Wara Bafodea – Bafodea
10. Wara-Wara Yagala – Gbawuria

Notes

Tonkolili District

1. Dansogoia – Bumbuna
2. Gbonkolenken Masankong – Yele
3. Kafe – ?
4. Kalanthuba – ?
5. Kholifa Mabang – Mabang
6. Kholifa Mamuntha Mayosso – ?
7. Kholifa Rowalla – Magburaka
8. Kunike Barina – Makali
9. Kunike Folawusu – ?
10. Kunike Sanda – Masingbi
11. Malal – Rochin
12. Mayeppoh – ?
13. Poli – ?
14. Sambaia – Bendugu
15. Simiria – Mabonto
16. Tane – Matotoka
17. Yele – ?
18. Yoni Mabanta – ?
19. Yoni Mamaila – Yonibana

Notes

North Western Province

Kambia District

1. Briama – Kukuna
2. Dixing – Mafaray
3. Gbinle – Tawuya
4. Khonimakha – Kabaya
5. Magbema – Kambia
6. Mambolo – Mambolo
7. Masungbala – Kawula
8. Munu Thala – Thala
9. Samu – Kychum
10. Tonko Limba – Madina

Notes

Karene District

1. Buya – ?
2. Debia – Gbinti
3. Gbanti – ?
4. Libeisaygahun-Gbombahun – Batkanu
5. Mafonda Makerembay – ?
6. Romende – Foredugu
7. Safroko – ?
8. Sanda Loko – Kamalo
9. Sanda Magbolontor – Sendugu
10. Sanda Tenraren – Mateboi
11. Sella Limba – Kamakwie
12. Tambakha Simibungie – ?
13. Tambakha Yobangie – Fintonia

Notes

Port Loko District

1. Bakeh Loko – ?
2. Bureh – Mange
3. Kaffu Bullom – Mahera
4. Kamasondo – ?
5. Kaseh – ?
6. Koya – Songo
7. Loko Massama – Petifu
8. Maconteh – ?
9. Maforki – ?
10. Makama – Miraykulay
11. Marampa – Lunsar
12. Masimera – Masimera
13. Tinkatopa – ?
14. Port Loko City – Port Loko

Notes

Southern Province

Bo District

1. Badjia – Ngelehun
2. Bagbo – Jimmi
3. Bagbwe – Ngarlu
4. Baoma – Baoma
5. Bongor – Telu
6. Bumpe–Gao – Bumpe
7. Gbo – Gbo
8. Jaiama – ?
9. Kakua – Kakua
10. Komboya – Njala
11. Lugbu – Sumbuya
12. Niawa Lenga – Nengbema
13. Selenga – Dambala
14. Tikonko – Tikonko
15. Valunia – Mongere
16. Wonde – Gboyama
17. Bo City – Bo

Notes

Bonthe District

1. Bendu – Cha Bendu
2. Bum – Madina
3. Dema – Tissana
4. Imperri – Gbangbama
5. Jong – Mattru
6. Kpanda Kemo – Kemo Motuo
7. Kwamebai Krim – Benduma
8. Nongoba Bullom – Gbap
9. Sittia – Yonni
10. Sogbini – Tihun
11. Yawbeko – Talia
12. Bonthe Urban – Bonthe

Notes

Moyamba District

1. Bagruwa – Sembehun
2. Bumpe – Rotifunk
3. Dasse – Mano
4. Fakunya – Gandohun
5. Kagboro – Shenge
6. Kaiyamba – Moyamba
7. Kamajei – Senehun
8. Kongbora – Bauya
9. Kori – Taiama
10. Kowa – Njama
11. Lower Banta – Gbangbatoke
12. Ribbi – Bradford
13. Timdale – Bomotoke
14. Upper Banta – Mokelle

Pujehun District

1. Barri – Potoru
2. Gallines – ?
3. Kagonde – ?
4. Kpaka – Masam
5. Kpanga – Pujehun
6. Makpele – Zimmi
7. Malen – Sahn
8. Mano Sakrim – Gbonjema
9. Panga Krim – Gobaru
10. Peje – Futta
11. Perri – Blama
12. Soro Gbema – Fairo
13. Sowa – Bandajuma
14. Yekomo Kpukumu – Karlu

Notes

See also

• Administrative divisions of Sierra Leone

External links

• Sierra Leone.org