Sam Nujoma, Namibia’s founding father and first president, has passed away at the age of 95 in Windhoek.
Nujoma succumbed to an illness that had kept him hospitalized for three weeks.
The announcement came on Sunday from President Nangolo Mbumba, who, in a voice heavy with grief, declared:
“The foundations of the Republic of Namibia have been shaken… The most gallant son of our land could not recover from his illness.”
The Rebel Who Became a Nation’s Father
Samuel Shafiishuna Nujoma was born in 1929 and herded cattle before becoming the man who herded a revolution.
By 1960, he co-founded the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and led a nearly 30-year exile, pushing back against South African rule.
Eventually because of oppression forces, he picked up arms and launched Namibia’s guerrilla campaign for independence in 1966.
In 1990, when the dust of war settled, and the flag of a free Namibia was raised, Nujoma became its first president—leading the nation through 15 years of transition, healing, and democracy.
His critics, who once labeled him a Marxist hardliner, later admitted that his policies—especially his push for national reconciliation—kept Namibia stable while others crumbled under post-independence tensions.
Nujoma praised women’s rights and his claim that AIDS was a man-made biological weapon and his harsh stance against homosexuality alienated some Western allies.
However, he was the first African leader invited to the White House by Bill Clinton in 1993.
He also built ties with Cuba, North Korea, Russia, and China.
As Namibians woke up to the news, the nation went into mourning.
Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is set to take office in March, called his leadership “visionary”, while AU Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said Nujoma was “the epitome of courage”.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa honored him as “an extraordinary freedom fighter”, and Kenya’s William Ruto called him “a visionary leader”.
Flags will fly at half-mast, streets will fill with processions, and stories of his legacy will continue for generations.
His funeral arrangements remain unannounced.
