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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 24905, member: 2262"] Sam Nujoma, who steered Namibia from colonial rule to independence as its founding president and shaped its path as a democratic nation for 15 years, died Saturday in Windhoek. He was 95. President Nangolo Mbumba announced the death, saying Mr. Nujoma had spent three weeks in hospital with an illness from which he "could not recover." His passing has "shaken" the nation's foundations, Mr. Mbumba said. Mr. Nujoma rose from modest beginnings as a railway worker to lead the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in its fight against South African rule. Born in 1929 to peasant farmers in the northern village of Etunda, he received little formal education but developed a deep passion for politics and justice. In 1960, at age 30, South African authorities forced him into exile. He navigated through several African nations without a passport, eventually reaching New York to petition the United Nations for Namibian independence. The South African government branded him a "Marxist terrorist" for leading forces that fought alongside anti-apartheid movements across southern Africa. After decades of armed struggle supported by Cuban troops in Angola, South Africa agreed to Namibian independence in 1989. Mr. Nujoma returned home triumphant, and Swapo won a decisive victory in the 1990 democratic elections, making him the country's first president. His leadership focused on social progress. He introduced policies to protect children through maintenance payments and advanced women's rights by changing traditional practices that disadvantaged widows. Despite criticism for extending his tenure to three terms, he maintained stability and international support for development. Mr. Nujoma championed racial reconciliation after independence, upholding constitutional protections for all Namibians regardless of race. This approach encouraged the white community to remain in the country, maintaining their significant role in farming and other economic sectors. His ability to unite Namibia's three million people across ten ethnic and linguistic communities earned him widespread admiration. In 2005, Parliament granted him the title "Founding Father of Namibia," adding to his numerous international honors, including the Lenin Peace Prize and the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize. After retiring from the presidency in 2005 and the Swapo leadership in 2007, Mr. Nujoma stepped away from public life to spend time with his family. He leaves behind his wife, Kovambo Theopoldine Katjimune, and their four children. His legacy endures through Namibia's continued democratic stability and peaceful transitions of power. [/QUOTE]

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