Sam Nujoma, the revered leader of Namibia's liberation struggle and its first president, has died at the age of 90. Nujoma, known for his commitment to the people and his role in securing Namibia's independence from South Africa's apartheid regime, passed away after a three-week hospital stay.
Wycliffe Muia in Nairobi & Frauke Jensen in WindhoekRevered as "father of the nation" and the icon of Namibia's liberation struggle, Sam Nujoma lived up to these expectations in more ways than one.Whether donning a tracksuit to join a fun-run along Windhoek's Independence Avenue, or insisting his driver hang back from official motorcades, he aimed to be a man of the people.
Namibia was under German occupation from 1884 until 1915, when Germany lost its colony in World War One. Inspiration came in the stories of early Namibian resistance leaders, such as Hendrik Witbooi, who fought against the Germans in the 1880s. Returning from exile, Nujoma was swiftly rearrested by the South African authorities and deported to Zambia six years later.
Nujoma was especially concerned with the plight of children, introducing maintenance payments obliging absent fathers to contribute to the cost of raising their offspring. He openly abhorred same-sex relationships, but never went as far as changing the constitution or the law to make them illegal. When he stepped down as president in 2005 and as Swapo president in 2007 after serving as the party leader for 47 years – he handed power to his successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba.
SAM NUJOMA NAMIBIA INDEPENDENCE APARTHEID LIBERATION
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