The primary president of impartial Namibia, Sam Nujoma, has died on the age of 95 within the capital Windhoek, the rustic’s present chief has introduced. Nujoma led the lengthy struggle for independence from South Africa in 1990 after serving to discovered Namibia’s liberation motion referred to as the South West Africa Other folks’s Organisation (Swapo) within the Nineteen Sixties. After independence, Nujoma changed into president in 1990 and led the rustic till 2005.Nujoma were hospitalised over the last 3 weeks with an sickness from which he “may now not recuperate”, Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba mentioned in a remark pronouncing the demise with “utmost sorrow and disappointment”.He “impressed us to upward thrust to our ft and to transform masters of this huge land of our ancestors,” President Mbumba mentioned.He added: “Our founding father lived a protracted and consequential lifestyles all through which he exceptionally served the folk of his loved nation.”King Charles III mentioned he and Queen Camilla were “profoundly saddened” to be told of Nujoma’s demise. In a remark launched through Buckingham Palace, the King paid tribute to Nujoma’s “lifelong dedication to freedom and democracy” and “immense” contribution to historical past.Nujoma retired as head of state in 2005, however endured to steer the birthday celebration ahead of stepping down in 2007 as president of the ruling Swapo birthday celebration after 47 years on the helm.Many Namibians have reacted to his demise with disappointment, fondly remembering him as “father of the country”, says the BBC’s Frauke Jensen in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek. A teary-eyed Mbumba visited Nujoma’s house to provide condolences to his circle of relatives, together with his spouse Kovambo Theopoldine Katjimune, 91. Nujoma is broadly credited for making sure peace and balance after independence from South Africa, which was once then underneath white-minority rule, in 1990. Nujoma’s coverage of nationwide reconciliation inspired the rustic’s white group to stay, they usually nonetheless play a significant function in farming and different sectors of the economic system.He additionally championed the rights of ladies and kids, together with making fathers pay for the upkeep of kids born out of wedlock. Namibia’s Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who’s because of be inaugurated as president in March after main Swapo to victory in elections, mentioned his “visionary management and determination to liberation and nation-building laid the root for our loose, united country”.African leaders have joined in paying tribute, with African Union Fee chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat describing Nujoma as “the epitome of braveness, by no means wavering from his imaginative and prescient for a loose Namibia and a unified Africa”.South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the previous Namibian president was once an “ordinary freedom fighter” who performed a number one function in now not most effective his nation’s struggle in opposition to colonialism, but in addition within the marketing campaign that ended in white-minority rule finishing in South Africa in 1994. “President Nujoma’s management of a loose Namibia laid the root for the cohesion and partnership our two international locations proportion as of late – a partnership we can proceed to deepen as neighbours and buddies,” Ramaphosa added.Kenya’s President William Ruto mentioned Nujoma was once a “visionary chief who devoted his lifestyles to the liberation and construction of his nation”.Funeral main points have now not but been introduced.
