Namibia’s founding president Sam Nujoma dies at 95

Windhoek

Namibia’s founding president and a key figure in the country’s independence, passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday night, President Nangolo Mbumba announced.

Nujoma had been receiving medical treatment in Windhoek for the past three weeks but was unable to recover. “It is with utmost sorrow that I announce the passing of our revered freedom fighter and revolutionary leader,” Mbumba said in a statement.

Born on May 12, 1929, in Etunda village, Nujoma played a pivotal role in Namibia’s liberation from South African rule. He was a founding member of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), which has governed Namibia since independence in 1990. He served as the country’s first president from 1990 to 2005, leading efforts to establish democratic institutions and promote national reconciliation.

As a child, Nujoma worked as a cattle herder before attending a Finnish mission school. He later moved to Walvis Bay and then Windhoek, where he worked for South African Railways before joining the independence movement.

President Mbumba expressed condolences to Nujoma’s family and announced that the government would soon declare a period of national mourning and release details of his funeral arrangements.

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah highlighted Nujoma’s legacy in shaping Namibia’s democracy and fostering unity in the post-independence era.