Sam Nujoma was a leader of Namibia’s decades-long War of Independence, later elected its first president.
- Died: February 8, 2025 (Who else died on February 8?)
- Details of death: Died in Windhoek, Namibia at the age of 95.
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Sam Nujoma’s legacy
When Nujoma was born, his country was known as South West Africa, and it was under the control of South Africa. After the segregationist policy of apartheid was instituted in both South Africa and South West Africa in 1948, Nujoma became one of the many in his country who dreamed of – and fought for – independence. He began getting involved in politics in the early 1950s, and in 1960, he co-founded the South West Africa People’s Organization, or SWAPO. The group became the country’s leading voice for independence. As one of its heads, Nujoma was first jailed and then, in 1960, exiled for his revolutionary work.
During almost 30 years in exile, Nujoma served as president of SWAPO, directing it in absentia as the Namibian War for Independence began in 1966. He advocated for his country with the United Nations, and after decades of war and negotiations between nations, he was able to return to his homeland in 1989. The UN supervised the country’s first democratic election, in which Nujoma was chosen as Namibia’s first president, serving alongside the country’s first prime minister, Hage Geingob (1941–2024).
In 1994, Nujoma was reelected in a decisive vote. He then oversaw a change to the constitution that allowed him to run for a third term, and he was reelected again in 1999. In 2004, with little support for a further amendment allowing him to run again, he stepped down from the presidency. During his time in office, Nujoma became known for his support of women’s and children’s rights and for his strong stance against LGBTQ rights. In later years, he spoke out forcefully against the people of the countries that had previously colonized Namibia, including Germany.
Tributes to Sam Nujoma
Full obituary: The New York Times
