THE MAYOR OF FREETOWN: YVONNE AKI-SAWYERR — THE ECONOMIST, CRISIS LEADER, AND NOW 2028 APC FLAGBEARER ASPIRANT REDEFINING CITY POWER:

By David K.Fengai

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has served as Mayor of Freetown since May 2018, and in that time she has turned city hall from a ceremonial office into a laboratory for transformation.

Background and Education
Born January 7, 1968, she holds a Bachelor of Science Hons in Economics from Fourah Bay College and a Master of Science in Politics of the World Economy from the London School of Economics. A chartered accountant and finance expert, she brings over 25 years of private sector experience in strategic planning, project management, and risk consulting.

Political and Public Career
First elected under the All People’s Congress, APC, and sworn in on May 11, 2018, she launched Transform Freetown — a 19-point development blueprint. Re-elected in June 2023 for a second term, her renewed mandate centers on job creation, climate action, and digital growth. Long before City Hall, she served as Director of Planning for the National Ebola Response Centre during the 2014–2015 epidemic and co-founded the Sierra Leone War Trust in 1999, proving her capacity in crisis leadership.

Key Achievements and Global Roles
Her urban initiatives have drawn global attention: the #FreetownTheTreeTown campaign for massive tree planting, construction of the city’s first wastewater treatment plant, and digitization of the property rate system. Internationally, she serves as Co-Chair of C40 Cities, was honored with the German Africa Award in 2024, and named to both the TIME100 Climate list and BBC 100 Women.

The Road Ahead
Now, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr has stepped onto the national stage as one of the 2028 flagbearer aspirants for the main opposition All People’s Congress, APC. With a record of data-driven governance and climate resilience, she is positioning herself not just as Freetown’s mayor, but as a contender to lead the party — and potentially the nation.