African leaders gathered in Namibia on Saturday to honor the legacy of Sam Nujoma, the country’s “founding father,” who led the fight against colonial rule and South Africa’s apartheid regime.
Dignitaries, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, former President Thabo Mbeki, and ex-Tanzanian leader Jakaya Kikwete, attended the funeral of Nujoma, who rose from humble beginnings as a cattle herder to lead Namibia to independence on March 21, 1990.
“We fought under your command, won the liberation struggle, and forever removed apartheid colonialism from the face of Namibia,” President Nangolo Mbumba said in his tribute.
Nujoma, who died at 95, was laid to rest at Heroes’ Acre, a North Korean-built war memorial dedicated to those who resisted German colonial rule and later South African occupation. His coffin, draped in Namibia’s red, green, and blue national flag, was carried to the site as mourners paid their final respects.
Serving as Namibia’s first president from 1990 to 2005, Nujoma positioned himself as a unifying figure, though his tenure was not without controversy. Critics challenged his stance on press freedoms, his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, and a 1998 constitutional amendment that allowed him to seek a third term.
Despite the criticism, Nujoma remains a towering figure in Namibia’s history, credited with steering the nation through its formative years of independence.