Sam Nujoma, Namibia's ‘founding father' and first president, dies aged 95
Hailed as Namibia's 'founding father', Nujoma passed away on Saturday night following a three-week hospitalisation in the capital, Windhoek, according to the Namibian presidency.
'The foundations of the Republic of Namibia have been shaken,' the presidency said in a Facebook post announcing his death. There will be a period of 'national mourning', it added.
Nujoma was revered in his homeland as a charismatic father figure who steered his country to democracy and stability after long colonial rule by Germany and a bitter war of independence from South Africa.
He was the last of a generation of African leaders who led their countries out of colonial or white minority rule that included South Africa's Nelson Mandela, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Zambia's Kenneth Kaunda and Mozambique's Samora Machel.
Nujoma headed the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) that led the liberation struggle since its inception in 1960.
While SWAPO has remained in power since independence, Nujoma finally quit in 2007 at the age of 78, two years after standing down from the presidency.
Many Namibians credited Nujoma's leadership for the process of national healing and reconciliation after the deep divisions caused by the independence war and South Africa's policies of dividing the country into ethnically based regional governments.
Even his political opponents praised Nujoma – who was branded a Marxist – for establishing a democratic constitution and involving white businessmen and politicians in government after independence. He was also known for his fierce anti-Western rhetoric and railing against homosexuality, which he called a 'foreign and corrupt ideology' and AIDS disease 'a man-made biological weapon'.
But while he succeeded in establishing democratic institutions and moving forward with reconciliation, his autocratic tendencies cast a shadow over his legacy, said Ndumba Kamwanyah, a lecturer at the University of Namibia and a political analyst.
'While Nujoma's presidency was foundational in establishing Namibia's independence and governance, it was not without flaws,' said Kamwanyah.
Rise to power
Born to poor farmers from the Ovambo tribe in a tiny village in northwestern Namibia in 1929, Nujoma traced the awakening of his political consciousness to his teenage years when he moved to the harbour town of Walvis Bay.
Arriving aged 17, he lived with an aunt in a Black township and was privy to adult conversations about the plight of Black people under white-minority rule.
The eldest of 10 children, Nujoma's first job was as a railway sweeper near Windhoek in 1949 while he went to night school, according to an autobiography published in 2001. It was there that he was introduced to Herero tribal chief Hosea Kutako, who was lobbying to end apartheid rule in Namibia, then known as South West Africa.
Kutako became his mentor, shepherding the young Nujoma as he became politically active among Black workers in Windhoek who were resisting a government order to move to a new township in the late 1950s.
At Kutako's request, Nujoma began life in exile in 1960, first to Botswana, leaving his wife and four children behind. The same year, he was elected president of SWAPO, later shuttling from capital to capital in the quest for support and launching a low-level armed struggle in 1966.
It took more than a decade of pressure from Nujoma and others before a United Nations Security Council resolution in 1978 proposed a ceasefire and elections. Another decade went by for the ceasefire deal to be signed and elections held in late 1989.
SWAPO won a majority in those elections, and Nujoma took office in March 1990.
On retirement from the presidency, he enrolled for a master's degree in geology, believing that Namibia's mountains contained untapped mineral wealth.
'Nujoma provided maximum leadership to our nation and spared no effort to motivate each and every Namibian to build a country that would stand tall and proud among the nations of the world,' said the presidency.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Belgium lauds Qatar, US efforts in peace agreement between Rwanda, Congo
BRUSSELS: The Kingdom of Belgium has expressed its appreciation for the tireless efforts made by the State of Qatar and the United States of America to facilitate signing the peace agreement between the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a post on his official X account, Belgian Foreign Minister HE Maxime Prevost welcomed the signing of the peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, which took place in Washington, praising the courage of the two neighbouring countries in choosing the path of peace. The Belgian Foreign Minister stressed that the effective implementation of the commitments contained in the agreement is a crucial element for achieving lasting peace in the Great Lakes region after years of tension and conflict. Prevost stressed that Belgium will continue to work constructively to achieve this goal in cooperation with regional and international partners, affirming his country's support for all efforts aimed at establishing stability on the African continent.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Guterres praises Congo-Rwanda peace deal as ‘significant step'
UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised a peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda, calling it a 'significant step' towards de-escalation. His comments came after the two African nations signed the agreement on Friday in Washington, in a bid to end decades of fighting in eastern Congo. Guterres said he urged the parties to fully comply with the commitments they had made in the peace agreement. The UN was determined to support the implementation of the agreement in close coordination with the African Union and regional and international partners, he said. In January, the conflict escalated as the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 seized control of the city of Goma and neighbouring towns and villages in Congo's resource-rich eastern region. As a result of mediation efforts by the US and Qatar, Rwanda and the Congo then agreed on a declaration of principles in April. The agreement covers respect for territorial integrity, a ban on hostilities, and the withdrawal, disarmament and integration of non-state armed groups, according to official statements. It enters into force immediately. The accord also aims to facilitate the return of refugees and internally displaced persons and enable humanitarian access to the conflict area. At its core, the agreement aims to establish a permanent joint mechanism for security coordination between the Congo and Rwanda. (DPA)
Qatar Tribune
24-06-2025
- Qatar Tribune
African nations open to energy cooperation with Turkey: APPO head
Agencies Africa needs to expand its international partnerships beyond traditional allies to fully harness its vast energy resources, the secretary general of the African Petroleum Producers' Organization (APPO) Omar Farouk Ibrahim said, signaling Turkey as a promising partner. 'We are open to all forms of energy cooperation with Turkey,' Ibrahim told Anadolu Agency (AA) in remarks published on Monday. Urging African leaders to move past dependence on former colonial powers and deepen ties with emerging global players like Turkey, Ibrahim said: 'We've naively believed that the same countries which colonized and later left us would be the ones to help us grow.' 'After more than 60 years, despite our abundant resources, we have made little progress, but the world is changing, and fortunately, Africa is changing too,' he added. Turkey's rise on the global stage is being closely watched by Africa. 'Turkey is an ancient and strong civilization with a deeply rooted cultural heritage, and it is advancing technologically once again. This should allow Africa to look beyond the so-called traditional partners we have long relied on to 'save' the continent,' Ibrahim said. He noted that although Turkey has rapidly advanced technologically under challenging conditions, many in Africa remain unaware of its capabilities. Ibrahim called for enhanced public diplomacy, through media, education, and civil society to showcase Turkey's strengths. He also praised long-standing Turkish investments, such as scholarships for African students, as vital to building people-to-people ties. Moreover, Ibrahim noted that the energy transition presents a great opportunity for the continent, as, for the first time, it is forcing the people of Africa to ask a fundamental question of 'Why have we been producing oil and gas and exporting it outside Africa while our own people still lack the basic necessities of life?' 'The energy we send to Europe or America serves luxury, not survival. Here in Africa, the lack of energy leads to death almost every day,' Ibrahim said. He also noted that amid the global energy transition, the West, on which Africa has long relied for technology, financing, and markets, has decided to no longer fund oil and gas projects, leaving the continent increasingly vulnerable. 'We have been forced to establish the African Energy Bank. We are building the energy infrastructure that will enable us to transfer energy from regions of abundance to those in need,' he said. Ibrahim said APPO aims to unite producing countries around shared challenges, particularly about financing. APPO represents nations holding about 10% of the world's oil reserves and producing roughly 8% of global output. The organization's efforts focus on developing intra-African energy infrastructure and securing independent financing through the African Energy Bank. He warned that without funding, technology, and market access, Africa risks losing both its hydrocarbon sector and the chance to benefit from renewables. Ibrahim added that without domestic infrastructure, Africa risks being left behind in the new global energy landscape. 'Even though we have vast renewable potential, we lack the technology to develop it, which means we will again have to rely on others,' he said. He also underscored the continent's minimal role in global emissions, only 3%, and questioned the fairness of restrictions on Africa's use of its hydrocarbon resources, and added: 'Tripling emissions could help Africa industrialize, yet we are being told that we cannot use our resources.' Inviting Turkey to deepen its role in the African energy sector, Ibrahim said: 'If Turkey or Turkish investors wish to join the African Energy Bank, they are more than welcome.' He encouraged Turkish scientists, technologists, and investors to contribute to the development of Africa's oil and gas industry. Support in building cross-border pipelines, linking countries and facilitating the flow of energy and related products, is especially welcome, creating opportunities for a mutually beneficial partnership, Ibrahim said. In recent years, Turkey has taken on an increasingly active role in Africa's energy and mining sectors. Guided by a 'win-win' approach, Turkey has signed strategic cooperation agreements with numerous African countries, including Somalia, Niger, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Angola, Senegal, Morocco, Sudan, Nigeria, and Djibouti. These deals, which aim to leverage Turkish expertise, technology, and investment capacity to support joint energy projects, have already led to the launch of concrete initiatives, with collaboration progressing swiftly on multiple fronts.
