| Kono District | |
|---|---|
| Country | Sierra Leone |
| Capital | Koidu Town |
| Largest city | Koidu Town |
| Province | Eastern Province |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Council |
| • Council Chairman | Finda Diana Konomani (APC) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 349,976 [1] |
| Time zone | Greenwich Mean Time (UTC-5) |
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.
The population of Kono District is 349,976 [2]. Kono District borders Kenema District to the southwest, The Republic of Guinea to the east, Koinadugu District east and Kailahun District to the southeast. Kono District is one of the most ethnically diverse District in Sierra Leone.
Before the civil war, Kono District had a population well over 600,000 ; however, it experienced devastation during the Sierra Leone Civil War, which forced many of the residents out of the district. The district was heavily looted and constantly fought over due to the rich diamond reserves in the area.
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Kono District is governed with a District council form of government, which is headed by a District Council Chairman, who is responsible for the general management of the district and for seeing that all local laws are enforced. The District Council Chairman is elected directly by the residents of Kono District. The Kono District Council Hall located in the district capital Koidu Town, is the official Hall where members of the Kono District Council meet. The current chairman of Kono district council is Finda Diana Konomani of the (All People's Congress) (APC) who was sworn-in on April 21, 2011 after winning the Kono District Council Bye-election [3]. Finda Diana Konomani innauguration at the Koidu Sport Stadium in Koidu Town was attended by president Ernest Bai Koroma and vice president Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana [4]. She succeeded Sahr John Yambasu of the All People's Congress (APC) who resigned as Council Charman of Kono District to take over as Sierra Leone [[Ambasaador to Russia. [5].
Kono District has nine Representatives in the Sierra Leonean Parliament, of which eight members were elected for a 5-year term. Below is the list of Kono District Representatives Sierra Leonean Parliament:
| Name | Party |
|---|---|
| Komba Claudius Gbamanja | SLPP |
| Tamba Kaingbanja | SLPP |
| Komba Eric Koedoyoma | SLPP |
| Sahr Matturi | SLPP |
| Abdul Kai Foday | APC |
| Augustine Bockarie | SLPP |
| William Emmanuel Tommy | APC |
| Kai Thomas | APC |
| P.C. Abu Mbawa Kongobah | Non |
Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone. Other important economic activities include gold mining and agricultural production of rice, coffee and cacao.
Prominent Secondary Schools are: Koidu secondary school, Koidu Girls secondary school, Ansarul Islamic Boys secondary school, Ansarul Islamic Girls secondary school, Islamic secondary school Koidu, Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood secondary school, Jaiama secondary school, Yengema secondary school, Kono Model Academy, Aziz secondary school Motema.
Kono is home to Sierra Leonean Premier League club the Diamond Stars of Kono. The club is one of the oldest, biggest, and most popular soccer clubs in Sierra Leone. The club have won the Sierra Leonean FA Cup once, in 1992. Famous local soccer teams are Flamingo FC, Rangers FC, Cosmos FC & Farmers FC.
Kono District was the setting for much of Blood Diamond, an Academy Award-nominated film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Honsou.
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