Namibia mourns the loss of its founding father, Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, who passed away at the age of 95. Born on 12 may 1929 in Etunda, a village in Ongandjera near the town of Okahao, Ovamboland in the southwest Africa(Now known as Omusati Region, Namibia). He was a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia , from 1990 to 2005. He was succeded by Hifikepunye Pohamba. Nujoma, a key figure in Namibia’s struggle for independence from South Africa, died on Saturday the 8th of february 2025, the presidency announced.
President Nangolo Mbumba confirmed that Nujoma had been hospitalized in Windhoek for three weeks, battling an illness he ultimately could not overcome. “With the utmost sorrow and sadness, we announce the passing of our revered freedom fighter and revolutionary leader,” Mbumba stated. He died on February 8th at the age of 95 at a hospital in Windhoek. The Namibian goverment announced a period of national mourning over his death.
Nujoma, born to poor farmers from the Ovambo tribe and the eldest of 10 children, began working as a railway sweeper near Windhoek in 1949 while attending night classes. His influential political journey was shaped by Herero tribal chief Hosea Kutako, who mentored him in the fight against apartheid in Namibia, then known as South West Africa.
In 1960, at Kutako’s urging, Nujoma went into exile, leaving behind his wife and four children. That same year, he was elected president of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), advocating globally for Namibia’s independence. Nujamo led SWAPO during the lengthy Namibian War of Independence when South Africa refused a UN order to relinquish control over the former German colony, which lasted from 1966 to 1989.
Namibia finally achieved independence in 1990 under Nujoma’s visionary leadership, holding its first democratic elections. As the country’s first president, he guided Namibia through an era of economic prosperity and political stability during his three terms in office. While his AIDS policy garnered international acclaim, Nujoma faced criticism for refusing to rehabilitate SWAPO members detained in Angola as apartheid-era spies. He also attracted controversy for his harsh stance against homosexuality, However he stood firm against his beliefs and was re-elected for two more terms in 1994 and 1999.
Nujoma’s legacy as a nation-builder endures, with current President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah commending his “visionary leadership and dedication to the liberation of his people.” She emphasized, “Let us honor his legacy by upholding resilience, solidarity, and selfless service,” ahead of her inauguration following her electoral victory last November.
Nujoma’s successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba, took office in 2005, but Nujoma continued to exert significant influence until his official retirement from politics in 2007. The parliament of Namibia honored him with the tittles “Founding President of the Republic of Namibia” and “Father of the Namibian Nation” In 2007 SWAPO named him “Leader of the Namibian Revolution.” President Mbumba remarked, “He inspired us to rise to our feet and become masters of this vast land of our ancestors.”
