Solomon Berewa Explained

Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa
Nationality:Sierra Leonean
Order:Vice President of Sierra Leone
Term Start:2002
Term End:September 17, 2007
President:Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Predecessor:Albert Joe Demby
Successor:Samuel Sam-Sumana
Office2:Leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
Term Start2:February 2, 2005
Term End2:September 17, 2007
Predecessor2:Ahmed Tejan Kabbah
Successor2:John Oponjo Benjamin
Office3:Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone
Term Start3:1996
Term End3:2002
Successor3:Fredrick Max Carew
Birth Date:6 August 1938
Birth Place:Bumpe Chiefdom, Bo District, British Sierra Leone
Party:Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
Alma Mater:

Newcastle University

Profession:Lawyer
Spouse:Widowed with five children; Annie, Solomon Jr., Edwin, Augustine, Martin, and Francis

Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa (6 August 1938 – 5 March 2020) was Vice-president of Sierra Leone from May 2002 to September 2007. Standing as the candidate of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), he was defeated in the second round of the 2007 presidential election by Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC).[1] [2]

Life and career

Berewa was born in 1938 in Bumpe Chiefdom, Bo District.

Under President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, Berewa was Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 1996[3] to 1997, when the government was ousted in a coup. After Kabbah was restored to power, Berewa was Attorney-General and Minister of Justice again from 1998 to May 2002. He then became vice-president.

At the SLPP's national convention in Makeni on September 3–4, 2005, Berewa was selected by the SLPP as its leader and its 2007 presidential candidate. He received 291 votes, while Charles Margai received 34, Julius Maada Bio received 33, and J. B. Dauda received 28.[4]

In the first round of the 2007 presidential election, held on August 11, Berewa took second place with 38.3% of the vote, behind Koroma, the candidate of the opposition APC, who won 44.3%.[5] [6] A second-round between Berewa and Koroma was held on September 8, and on September 17 Koroma was declared the winner, with 54.6% of the vote against 45.4% for Berewa.[1] [2] Berewa promptly conceded defeat,[7] and Koroma was sworn in later on the same day[8] at a ceremony at which Berewa was present.[9]

In keeping with the SLPP constitution, which requires its leader to resign if the party loses a national election under his leadership, Berewa resigned as party leader on October 17, 2007.[10]

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Rod MacJohnson, "Sierra Leone gets a new leader", AFP (The Times, South Africa), September 17, 2007.
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6998687.stm "S Leone opposition win presidency"
  3. http://www.sierra-leone.org/govt5.html "President Kabbah's First Cabinet", 1996
  4. Web site: "Vice President Berewa Leads SLPP". dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070103064019/http://statehouse-sl.org/archives/september2005.html. January 3, 2007. 2007-01-03., statehouse-sl.org, September 6, 2005.
  5. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=86&art_id=nw20070823223651419C426830 "Freetown opposition party wins majority"
  6. http://necsierraleone.org/20070823_1500_SummaryNationalProgressive.pdf Full provisional results from the National Electoral Commission
  7. Bampia James Bundu, "Solomon Berewa concedes defeat to Ernest Bai Koroma in Sierra Leone", Awareness Times, September 17, 2007.
  8. Katrina Manson and Christo Johnson, "Koroma pledges healing in Sierra Leone", Reuters (IOL), September 18, 2007.
  9. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/47DE9DA1-F8B2-4407-8CCD-C7EDF8E53DA5.htm "Sierra Leone's new leader sworn in"
  10. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20071017221925527C395780 "Berewa steps aside after losing vote"