Makeni | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sunset over Makeni | |
  Makeni Location in Sierra Leone | |
| Coordinates:8°52′54″N12°02′39″W / 8.88167°N 12.04417°W /8.88167; -12.04417 | |
| Country |  Sierra Leone |
| Province | Northern Province |
| District | Bombali District |
| Chiefdom | Bombali Shebora |
| Government | |
| • Type | City Council |
| • Mayor | Abubakarr Kamara (APC) |
| • Deputy Mayor | Ibrahim Nelson Kamara (APC) |
| • Governing Body | Makeni City Council |
| Population (2021 Census) | |
• Total | 85,116 |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (GMT) |
Makeni is the largest city in theNorthern Province ofSierra Leone. The city is the capital ofBombali District, and is theeconomic center of the Northern Province. Makeni is the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone by population. The city of Makeni had a population of 85,116 in the 2021 census.[1][2] Makeni lies approximately 110 miles east ofFreetown. Makeni is home to theUniversity of Makeni, the largestprivate university in Sierra Leone.[3][4][5]
The city of Makeni is one of Sierra Leone's sixmunicipalities and is governed by acity council which is headed by amayor in whomexecutive authority is vested. The mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and is elected directly by the residents of Makeni inmunicipal elections held every four years. As of June 2023[update], the mayor of Makeni is Abubakarr Kamara ("Lamtales") of theAll People's Congress (APC).[6] Kamara won the June 2023 Makeni mayoral election, garnering 93.38% of the total votes cast.[6]
Like most parts of Northern Sierra Leone, Makeni is a reliablepolitical stronghold of the rulingAll People's Congress (APC)political party. The city and the entire Bombali District overwhelmingly support the APC in a large majority in Presidential, Parliamentary, and local councils elections.[citation needed]
The population of Makeni isethnically diverse, though theTemne people make up the largest ethnic group in the city. TheKrio language is used as the primary language of communication among the different ethnic groups in the city. The population of Makeni is predominantlyMuslim, though with a largeChristian minority population in the city. TheWesleyan Methodists are the largest and mainChristian denomination in Makeni.[citation needed]
Like the rest of Sierra Leone,Football is by far the most popular sport in the city. Makeni is home to one of Sierra Leone's biggest and oldest football clubs called theWusum Stars. The club plays in theSierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in the country. The club represents Makeni and the entire Bombali District. They won theSierra Leonean FA Cup in 1979. Makeni has also played host to matches of theSierra Leone National football team's under-17 and under-20 teams at the city'sWusum Sports Stadium.[citation needed]
The local radio station that serves Makeni and the Bombali District is Radio Mankneh 95.1. Sierra Leone's national radio and television stations, SLBC (Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation) are on the air in the city, as well as TheBBC World Service,CNN International, and several other private stations are on the air for those who havesatellite.[citation needed]
.jpg)
Like the rest of Sierra Leone, Makeni has an education system with six years of primary school (Class 1–6), and seven years of secondary school (Form 1–7); secondary schools are further divided into Junior secondary school (Form 1-3) and Senior secondary school (Form 4–7). Primary schools usually start from ages 6 to 12, and secondary schools usually start from ages 13 to 18. Primary Education is free and compulsory in government-sponsored public schools.[7][better source needed]
The city is home to theUniversity of Makeni, the largestprivate university in Sierra Leone.[3]St. Francis Secondary School is also located in Makeni, one of the most prominent secondary schools in Sierra Leone.[citation needed]
Diseases endemic to Makeni areyellow fever andmalaria.[8] Healthcare in Makeni is provided by a mix of government, private andnon-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) shifted to a decentralized health system structure after the end of the civil in war in 2002, in an effort to increase coverage.
One regional government hospital and theHoly Spirit Hospital provide most healthcare services, in addition to private clinics. TheHoly Spirit Hospital is the largest private hospital in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Traditional medicine forms part of the primary health care system in Makeni.[citation needed]
In 2019, theFirst Responder Coalition of Sierra Leone (FRCSL) was formed in Makeni by five national and international organizations: theSierra Leone Red Cross Society,LFR International,Agency for Rural Community Transformation, theHoly Spirit Hospital of Makeni, and theUniversity of Makeni.[9] 1,000 community members from Makeni were trained as first responders and equipped with a first aid kit by the Coalition.[10] 4,529 lay first responders were trained in total between July and December 2019, who went on to treat 1,850 patients over the following six months.[11]
In March 2010, the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone,Qiu Shaofang traveled to the city on an official visit to donate one 16 kVA generator and nine sewing machines.[12]
Makeni is thehometown of former Sierra Leone's presidentErnest Bai Koroma, as he was born and raised in the city. Additional notable people from Makeni are:
Media related toMakeni at Wikimedia Commons
08°52′54″N12°02′39″W / 8.88167°N 12.04417°W /8.88167; -12.04417
| District capital |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chiefdoms | ||
| Towns | ||
