Chief of the Defence Staff (Sierra Leone)

The Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Sierra Leonean military. It is the highest rank military position in the country.

Chief of the Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces
Coat of arms of Sierra Leone
Incumbent Lieutenant general Brima Sesay since 30 November 2017
Ministry of Defence
Reports to	Minister of Defence
Nominator	President of Sierra Leone
Appointer	Parliament of Sierra Leone

In 1985, General Joseph Saidu Momoh, the army commander, succeed President Siaka Stevens. It is not clear what exactly Momoh's title was but it seems likely that he was the senior Sierra Leonean military officer and held the predecessor to the CDS's post.

Brigadier-General Tom Carew was Chief of Defence Staff from April 2000 to November 2003. He may have been promoted to Major General during his tenure.[1] Major General Alfred Nelson-Williams was the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Republic of the Armed Forces, between 2008-2010. Nelson-Williams succeeded the retiring Major General Edward Sam M'boma on 12 September 2008.[2] The current chief is Lieutenant general Brima Sesay.[3]

List of Chiefs

No.	Picture	Chief of the Defense Staff	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Ref
1		Brigadier Blakie	1957	1962	4–5 years	[4]
2		Brigadier David Lansana	1962	1967	4–5 years	[4]
3		Brigadier Andrew Terence Juxon-Smith	1967	1968	0–1 years	[4]
4		Brigadier John Amadu Bangura	1968	1971	2–3 years	[4]
5		Major General Joseph Saidu Momoh (1937–2003)	1971	28 November 1985	13–14 years	[4]
6		Major General M.S. Tarawallie	1985	1992	6–7 years	[4]
7		Major General Jusu Gottor	1992	1994	1–2 years	[4]
8		Brigadier Kellie Conteh	1994	1995	0–1 years	[4]
9		Brigadier Julius Maada Bio	1995	1996	0–1 years	[4]
10		Brigadier Joy Turay	1996	1996	0 years	[4]
11		Brigadier Hassan Conteh	1996	1997	0–1 years	[4]
12		Brigadier Maxwell Mitikishi Khobe	1997	?	.	[4]
13		Brigadier general Tom Carew	April 2000	November 2003	3 years, 7 months	[1]
14		Major general Edward Sam M'boma	?	12 September 2008	.	[5][2]
15		Major general Alfred Nelson-Williams	12 September 2008	August 2010	1 year, 10 months	[6]
16		Major general Robert Yira Koroma	August 2010	2012	1–2 years	[6]
17		Lieutenant general Samuel Omar Williams (?–2016)	24 July 2012	2016	3–4 years	[4]
18		Lieutenant general John Edson Milton (born 1960)	2016	29 November 2017	0–1 years	[4]
19		Lieutenant general Brima Sesay (born 1965)	29 November 2017	Incumbent	3 years, 62 days	[3]

References

1. "Sierra Leone: Security Information". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
2. New Vision, Freetown, 15 September 2008
3. Government of Sierra Leone (30 November 2017). "New Army Chief of Defence Staff and Police boss in Sierra Leone". Cocorioko. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
4. "Home Page". mod.gov.sl. Ministry of Defence. 2018. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
5. Kamara, Saidu (February 20, 2007). "Ahead of 2007 Elections…Chief of Defense Staff Rejects Polling Boxes". standardtimespress.net. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011.
6. Thomas, Abdul R. (11 September 2010). "The Sacking of Sierra Leone's Military and Police Chiefs: Can Good Men become so bad so soon?". The Sierra Leone Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 September 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2011.