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Kenema
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Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone, after the capital Freetown and Bo, and the largest city in the Eastern Province. The city had a population of 128,402 in the 2004 census, and a 2009 estimate is 164,125 .
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Encyclopedia
Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone, after the capital Freetown and Bo, and the largest city in the Eastern Province. The city had a population of 128,402 in the 2004 census, and a 2009 estimate is 164,125 . Kenema serves as the capital and largest city of Kenema District, as well as the Eastern Province. The city is a major diamond trade center and serves as the economic and financial center of the Eastern Province, along with Koidu Town.
It grew along with a now-closed railway, around the logging and carpentry industries, and recently with diamond mines first discovered in 1931. Kenema lies about 185 miles (298 km) east-south-east of the nation's capital Freetown. Like in virtually all parts of Sierra Leone, the Krio language is widely spoken throughout the city of Kenema.
Until the end of 2005 a large battalion of Pakistani peacekeeping troops was stationed in Kenema under the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL. The troops based in Kenema supported the Government of Sierra Leone in maintaining peace and stability in the Eastern Province following Sierra Leone's brutal 11-year civil war from 1990 to 2001 and in view of the unstable situation in neighbouring Liberia at that time.
Government
The city of Kenema is governed with a city council form of government, which is headed by a mayor, in whom executive authority is vested. The mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all local and national laws are enforced. The mayor is elected directly by the residents of Kenema. The current mayor of Kenema is Evans Brima Gbemeh, a member of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), currently an opposition party and one of the three major political parties in Sierra Leone.
Demographics
Kenema is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Sierra Leone, although the Mende people make up the majority of the population. The city is home to all of the country's ethnic groups. Kenema has the second largest Sierra Leonean-Lebanese population in the country and is also home to many Liberians.
Sport
As in the rest of the country, football is by far the most popular sport in Kenema. The city two popular football clubs, the Kamboi Eagles and Gem Stars are currently playing in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in country.
Education
As in the rest of Sierra Leone, Kenema has an education system with six years of primary school (Class 1-6), and six years of secondary school (Form 1-6); secondary schools are further divided into Junior secondary school (Form 1-3) and Senior secondary school (Form 4-6). 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.
Notable colleges in Kenema
Health
Kenema and Bo are endemic areas for a highly contagious tropical hemorragic fever known as Lassa fever, and Kenema hospital is the centre of an international effort to combat the disease with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAMSIL. New laboratories to improve rapid diagnosis are being installed at the hospital, which admits between 250 and 500 suspected cases per year.
Media
The two main radio stations in Kenema are Eastern Radio 101.9 and Radio Nongowa - SPIN FM 101.3. Sierra Leone's national radio and television stations, SLBS TV, and SLBS Radio are on the air in Kenema. The BBC World Service, CNN International, and several other international stations are on the air in Kenema on satellite only.
Notable people from Kenema
Namesakes
There are a number of places in Sierra Leone with this name.
External links
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