Latest news with #SamNujoma
Voice of America
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Namibia lays founding president to rest
Thousands of Namibians gathered on the outskirts of the capital Windhoek on Saturday to bid farewell to the country's founding president, Sam Nujoma, who died last month in a private hospital at the age of 95. Heads of state from southern African countries joined Namibians at the funeral for Nujoma, who led the country to independence from apartheid-era South Africa. As early as six o'clock on Saturday morning, Namibians could be seen making their way, some on foot and others in their vehicles, to the National Shrine, the Heroes Acre, on the outskirts of Windhoek. They came pay their final respects to the man who is credited with bringing independence to the southern African country thirty-five years ago. Sam Nujoma died in a Windhoek hospital on February 8th after being hospitalized for three weeks. Namibia's current president, Nangolo Mbumba, described Nujoma as a giant who stood firm in the country's 24-year armed struggle for independence from South Africa. 'Although our hearts are laden with grief, we take solace that President Sam Nujoma will now rest amongst his fellow illustrious heroes and heroines," he said. "[He] has completed his mission with distinction, fulfilling his destiny and leaving behind the most precious gift of freedom and independence for the people of Namibia.' Among the VIPs in attendance Saturday were South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Angola's President João Lourenco. Former presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique could also be seen in the crowds of mourners who came to pay their last respects to the elder statesman. Nujoma was the first leader of Namibia's independence movement, the South West Africa People's Organization, and later served three terms as Namibia's president. Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana is his niece and a former cabinet minister who served as Namibia's Attorney General. She is also vice-chairperson of the Sam Nujoma Foundation. 'Nujoma united the people of Namibia who were divided according to the ethnic languages," she said. "During the war our people were made to fight against each other and at independence he introduced a policy of national reconciliation to forgive one another as brothers and sisters.' Public servant Chrispin Kapalu was also among the mourners who sang and danced as they braved the burning hot Namibian sun to bid farewell to the leader, whose name is captured in revolutionary struggle songs like 'Sema Uulipeni Elula Ee pandela, eelula epandela ola Namibia.' The lyrics mean "Sam Nujoma where are you, raise the flag.' 'Growing up we knew about Nujoma, different interpretations but after independence as young people then we could see the reality why our forefathers have to sacrifice their lives,' said Kapalu.
Arab Times
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
Namibian founding president Sam Nujoma laid to rest
WINDHOEK, Namibia, March 2, (AP): Namibia's founding president, Sam Nujoma, who steered the country to freedom from apartheid South Africa, was laid to rest in the country's Heroes Acre cemetery on Saturday following a state funeral attended by African leaders and foreign dignitaries. Mourners from all corners of the country began to gather as early as 6 am to pay their final tributes to a man they knew as their "founding father,' an anti-apartheid activist who served three terms as president from 1990 to 2005. Nujoma died on Feb 8 at age 95 after spending three weeks at a Windhoek hospital. His widow, Theopoldine Nujoma, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were in attendance. "He was a pillar of strength and a fountain of wisdom in the family. Although we could not have him around us all the time, we nevertheless understood very well that he embodied and personified the liberation struggle for Namibia's freedom and independence,' Nujoma's eldest son, Utoni Nujoma, said at a football stadium filled with mourners. "Despite the fact that our hearts are engulfed by grief, we therefore celebrate his long and fulfilling life as well as his unwavering spirit when he dedicated his entire life to the liberation of our motherland and the entire African continent,' Utoni added. Namibia had observed a 21-day mourning period, with flags at half-staff. Nujoma's body was honored with a nationwide farewell as his remains were flown to seven regions including his village homestead of Etunda, in Okahao, allowing hundreds of thousands of Namibians to pay their respects. Nujoma was the last of a generation of African leaders who led their countries out of colonial or white minority rule that included South Africa's Nelson Mandela, Mozambique's Samora Machel, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Tanzania's Julius Nyerere and Zambia's Kenneth Kaunda. His casket, draped in the Namibian flag with the title 'Founding president and Father of the Namibian nation' on it, was lowered concurrently with a 21-gun salute and a flypast by the Namibian Air Force, into the mausoleum at the Heroes Acre. The Heroes Acre was constructed as a final resting place for Namibians who made meaningful contributions to the freedom enjoyed by the country today. Current Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba described Nujoma as an extraordinary human being. Mbumba said Nujoma exhibited the traits of a man driven by purpose and destiny.
Arab News
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Thousands of Namibians bid farewell to founding father Sam Nujoma
WINDHOEK: Thousands of Namibians and dignitaries gathered on Saturday to mourn the country's independence leader, Sam Nujoma, as nearly a month of homage climaxed with a state funeral. Nujoma, the guerrilla leader who won independence for the desert nation from apartheid South Africa, died on Feb. 9, aged 95. His casket — draped in the blue, white, red, and green Namibian flag — was pulled in a gun carriage to its final resting place at the Heroes' Acre, a mountainous memorial for the country's liberation war dead outside the capital Windhoek. Nujoma, the guerrilla leader who won independence for the desert nation from apartheid South Africa, died on Feb. 9, aged 95. Several African leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Angola's Joao Lourenco, Emmerson Mnangagwa from Zimbabwe, and foreign officials counting Cuba's parliamentary speaker Esteban Lazo Hernandez, attended the burial, which was broadcast live on state television. Namibia's President Nangolo Mbumba opened the tributes and called Nujoma 'the most distinguished son of the soil.' He was a 'giant' among leaders, he said of the man who headed the South West People's Organization that led the liberation struggle. 'You were the ultimate statesman,' he said, adding: 'May your legacy become a source of strength as we continue to uphold your command of maintaining unity of purpose.' Nujoma's black-clad widow did not speak at Saturday's ceremony, but in a speech read on her behalf the previous day, she described him as 'steadfast, resolute, honest, and disciplined.' 'When my husband left for exile, my family and I were not spared from the hardships. Yet even in his absence, my husband's love and strength enveloped us,' she told a memorial service marked by songs and prayer. A 21-gun salute boomed as the bronze casket inscribed with Namibia's coat of arms and Nujoma's name was lowered into the grave in an imposing private mausoleum, as military aircraft conducted a flypast. Born to poor farmers from the Ovambo ethnic group, Nujoma was the eldest of 10 children. His first job was as a railway sweeper in 1949, and he attended night classes that spurred his political awakening. He banded with black workers in Windhoek who resisted a government order to move to a new township in the late 1950s. Nujoma began a life in exile in 1960, the same year he was elected to head SWAPO, which launched an armed struggle six years after South Africa refused a UN order to give up its mandate over the former German colony. After independence, Nujoma became president in 1990 and led the country until 2005. He gave up the reins of SWAPO two years after standing down from the presidency. Over his three terms, Nujoma presided over a period of relative economic prosperity and political stability. His policy on AIDS earned some international praise. The white-bearded liberator came under fire for refusing to rehabilitate several hundred SWAPO fighters who were kept in prison in Angola and accused of being 'spies' for South Africa. Thousands of ordinary Namibians paid their final respects all through last month as his body was transported the entire length of the sparsely populated country before lying in state on Friday. All flags across the southern African country were to fly at half mast, while sporting events were suspended during the mourning period. Nujoma's body was buried near former president Hage Geingob who died in office last year.
Observer
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Namibia bids farewell to founding father Nujoma
WINDHOEK: Thousands of Namibians and dignitaries gathered on Saturday to mourn the country's independence leader, Sam Nujoma, as nearly a month of homage climaxed with a state funeral. Nujoma, the guerrilla leader who won independence for the desert nation from apartheid South Africa, died on February 9, aged 95. Several African leaders including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Angola's Joao Lourenco, Emmerson Mnangagwa from Zimbabwe and foreign officials counting Cuba's parliamentary speaker Esteban Lazo Hernandez attended the burial. Namibia's President Nangolo Mbumba opened the tributes and called Nujoma "the most distinguished son of the soil". He was a "giant" among leaders, he said of the man who headed the South West People's Organisation (SWAPO) that led the liberation struggle. "You were the ultimate statesman," he said, adding: "May your legacy become a source of strength as we continue to uphold your command of maintaining unity of purpose." Nujoma's black-clad widow did not speak at Saturday's ceremony but in a speech read on her behalf the previous day, she described him as "steadfast, resolute, honest and disciplined." — AFP
Reuters
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Namibians mourn the death of the country's ‘founding father'
African leaders and residents of Namibia gathered on Saturday (March 1) to bury the country's "founding father" Sam Nujoma. At the funeral, current President Nangolo Mbumba spoke of Nujoma's leadership in challenging colonialism and a military occupation by South Africa's racist white minority government.
