Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has consoled Namibia following the death of her founding President Dr Sam Nujoma this Saturday.
In a statement, President Mnangagwa said he is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Namibia’s founding President, Dr. Sam Nujoma, a towering figure of liberation and a champion of African independence, whose legacy will continue to inspire generations.
He added that Zimbabwe will always remember and cherish Dr Nujoma’s principled and unconditional support as the nation faced concerted onslaught by vindictive countries of the West following the Land Reform Programme.
The Head of State said Namibia’s founding President took Zimbabwe’s struggle to fulfill the goals of the Liberation Struggle as his own, bequeathing to the region, Africa, values of Pan Africanism and the spirit of total Independence.
The death of the African icon was announced this Sunday by Namibian President Dr Nangolo Mbumba.
“It is therefore with utmost sorrow and sadness that I announce this morning of the 9th of February 2025 to the Namibian people, our African brothers and sisters and the world at large, about the passing of our revered freedom fighter and revolutionary leader, H.E. Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma. President Nujoma passed on at the age of 95 on the 8th of February at 23h45 in Windhoek, Namibia. Our Founding Father lived a long and consequential life during which he exceptionally served the people of his beloved country.
“Our Founding Father heroically marshalled the Namibian people during the darkest hours of our liberation struggle until the attainment of freedom and independence on the 21st of March 1990. As Founding President, His Excellency, Dr. Sam Nujoma provided maximum leadership to our nation and spared no effort to motivate each and every Namibian to build a country that would stand tall and proud among the nations of the world. In that vein, our venerable leader, Dr. Nujoma did not only blaze the trail to freedom – but he also inspired us to rise to our feet and to become masters of this vast land of our ancestors,” he said.
Other leaders have also mourned the death of Africa’s revolutionary icon with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa saying as neighbours and compatriots, South Africa is united in grief with Namibians who have lost the leader of the Namibian revolution who is inseparable from its own history of struggle and liberation.
African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat mourned saying Sam Nujoma was the epitome of Courage, never wavering from his vision for a free Namibia and united Africa.
Kenyan President William Ruto described President Nujoma as a selfless, courageous and visionary leader who dedicated his life to the liberation and development of his country while Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan honoured the freedom fighter, a Pan-Africanist who inspired generations to stand up for the ideals of freedom, equality and justice.
Sam Nujoma is remembered as a revolutionary icon who fought for the independence of not only Namibia but Southern Africa and the continent at large.
He was President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005.
