Namibia’s founding father, Sam Nujoma, who spearheaded the country’s struggle for independence from South Africa, has died at the age of 95, the presidency announced on Sunday.
Nujoma had been hospitalized for the past three weeks, battling an illness from which he “could not recover,” President Nangolo Mbumba stated.
“With the utmost sorrow and sadness,” Mbumba said, “I announce the passing of our revered freedom fighter and revolutionary leader.”
He described Nujoma as a statesman who “exceptionally served the people of his beloved country,” adding, “Our Founding Father lived a long and consequential life.”
From Humble Beginnings to Liberation Leader
Born into a family of poor farmers from the Ovambo tribe, Nujoma was the eldest of ten children. He began working as a railway sweeper near Windhoek in 1949 while attending night classes.
During this time, he met Herero tribal chief Hosea Kutako, a key figure in the movement against apartheid rule in Namibia, then known as South West Africa. Under Kutako’s guidance, Nujoma became politically active, particularly in mobilizing black workers who resisted a government relocation order in the late 1950s.
At Kutako’s urging, Nujoma went into exile in 1960, leaving behind his wife and four children. That same year, he was elected president of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) and traveled extensively to rally international support for Namibia’s independence cause.
In 1966, SWAPO launched an armed struggle after South Africa defied a United Nations directive to relinquish control of Namibia, citing the need to curb the spread of communism in Africa.
Namibia eventually secured its independence in 1990, making it one of the last African nations to break free from colonial rule.
A Legacy of Leadership and Controversy
Nujoma became Namibia’s first democratically elected president in 1990, serving three terms. Under his leadership, the country experienced relative economic growth and political stability.
His policies on AIDS were commended internationally, but his refusal to rehabilitate hundreds of SWAPO members imprisoned in Angola as suspected spies for apartheid South Africa sparked criticism.
Nujoma was also known for his hardline stance on social issues, denouncing homosexuality as “madness” and declaring in 2001 that gays and lesbians would be arrested or deported.
After stepping down in 2005, his handpicked successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba, easily won the presidency, though Nujoma remained an influential political figure for several more years before officially retiring in 2007.
Reflecting on his legacy, President Mbumba said Nujoma “inspired us to rise to our feet and to become masters of this vast land of our ancestors.”
President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also paid tribute, hailing his “visionary leadership and dedication to liberation and nation-building,” which, she said, “laid the foundation for our free, united nation.”
“Let us honour his legacy by upholding resilience, solidarity, and selfless service,” added Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is set to take office next month after winning last November’s election.
