Sam Nujoma, the activist and guerrilla leader who became Namibia’s first democratically elected president after leading the country to independence from apartheid South Africa, passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday, the Namibian Presidency announced on Sunday.
Nujoma assumed leadership of the sparsely populated southern African nation on March 21, 1990, and was officially recognised as the “Founding Father of the Namibian Nation” through a 2005 act of parliament.
While widely revered, he faced domestic and international criticism for his intolerance of critical media coverage, his outspoken opposition to homosexuality, and the 1998 constitutional amendment that allowed him to seek a third term in office.
A longtime ally of Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, Nujoma supported Mugabe’s land seizures from white farmers, though at home he adhered to a “willing buyer, willing seller” policy on land redistribution.
“The foundations of the Republic of Namibia have been shaken,” the presidency posted on X.
“Our venerable leader, Dr. Nujoma, did not only blaze the trail to freedom – but he also inspired us to rise to our feet and to become masters of this vast land of our ancestors.”
The presidency noted that Nujoma had been hospitalised for medical treatment over the past three weeks, adding: “Unfortunately, this time, the most gallant son of our land could not recover from his illness.”
A Legacy of Leadership and Controversy
Serving three terms as president from 1990 to 2005, Nujoma sought to unify Namibia’s diverse population and bridge political divides.
In a country scarred by the legacy of apartheid and German colonial rule, his SWAPO party implemented a national reconciliation program under the motto “One Namibia, One Nation.”
Throughout his tenure, Nujoma frequently emphasised unity in his speeches, often repeating:
“A united people, striving to achieve a common good for all members of the society, will always emerge victorious.”
His achievements included building democratic institutions and prioritising national reconciliation, said Ndumba Kamwanyah, a lecturer at the University of Namibia and a political analyst. However, Kamwanyah noted that his autocratic tendencies, including media suppression and his harsh response to the 1999 Caprivi rebellion, clouded his legacy.
“While Nujoma’s presidency was foundational in establishing Namibia’s independence and governance, it was not without flaws,” Kamwanyah said.
From Cattle Herding to Liberation Struggle
Born in a northwestern Namibian village in 1929, Nujoma grew up under South African rule. Namibia had been controlled by South Africa since World War I, following a brutal period of German colonialism marked by the genocide of the Herero and Nama people.
As a boy, he tended his family’s cattle and attended a Finnish mission school before moving to Walvis Bay and later Windhoek, where he worked for South African Railways. His growing political awareness led him to abandon his railway job to fight against apartheid.
In the late 1950s, he became leader of the Owambo People’s Organisation, a forerunner of the SWAPO liberation movement. He organised resistance against the forced relocation of Black residents in Windhoek, an effort that culminated in police killing 12 unarmed people and wounding dozens more.
Arrested and charged with leading the resistance, Nujoma went into exile in 1960. He traveled across Africa before reaching the United States, where he petitioned the United Nations for Namibia’s independence.
Even in exile, he remained at the helm of SWAPO, establishing its armed wing and launching a guerrilla war against South Africa’s apartheid regime in 1966.
It took over a decade of pressure from Nujoma and others before the United Nations Security Council passed a 1978 resolution proposing a ceasefire and elections. Another decade passed before a ceasefire was agreed upon, leading to elections in late 1989.
SWAPO won a majority in those elections, and in March 1990, Sam Nujoma was sworn in as Namibia’s first president, marking the dawn of an independent nation.
