Sam Nujoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Sam Nujoma
Nujoma in 2004
1st President of Namibia
In office 21 March 1990 – 21 March 2005
Prime Minister	Hage Geingob (1990–2002) Theo-Ben Gurirab (2002–2005)
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Hifikepunye Pohamba
President of SWAPO
In office 19 April 1960 – 29 November 2007
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Hifikepunye Pohamba
President of OPO
In office 19 April 1959 – 19 April 1960
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Personal details
Born	Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma (1929-05-12)12 May 1929 Ongandjera, Ovamboland, South West Africa (now Omusati Region, Namibia)
Died	8 February 2025(2025-02-08) (aged 95) Windhoek, Namibia
Political party	SWAPO OPO
Spouse	Kovambo Mushimba ​ (m. 1956)​
Children	4, including Utoni
Alma mater	University of Namibia
Religion	Lutheran

Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma (born 12 May 1929 – died 8 February 2025) was a very important leader in Namibia. He was a revolutionary and fought against apartheid, which was a system of unfair racial segregation. He became the first President of Namibia and served three terms, from 1990 to 2005.

Nujoma helped start the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) in 1960 and was its first president. Before 1960, SWAPO was called the Ovambo People's Organisation (OPO). He was a key leader in the fight for Namibia's freedom from South African rule.

He started the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in 1962. In August 1966, he began a guerrilla war against the South African government at Omugulugwombashe. This happened after the United Nations said South Africa no longer had the right to govern Namibia. Nujoma led SWAPO during the long Namibian War of Independence, which lasted from 1966 to 1989.

Nujoma became involved in politics against colonial rule in the 1950s. In 1959, he helped create the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO). This group wanted an independent Namibia. He was arrested in 1958 for organizing a protest and was sent away. In 1960, he escaped and went to Tanzania, where he was welcomed by leader Julius Nyerere.

Namibia finally became independent from South Africa in 1990. The country held its first democratic elections that same year. SWAPO won most of the votes, and Nujoma was elected as the first president on 21 March 1990. He was re-elected two more times in 1994 and 1999. Nujoma stepped down as SWAPO party president on 30 November 2007.

He wrote his life story, called Where Others Wavered, in 2005. He received many awards for his leadership. These include the Lenin Peace Prize, the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, and the Ho Chi Minh Peace Prize. The Parliament of Namibia honored him with the titles "Founding President of the Republic of Namibia" and "Father of the Namibian Nation". In 2007, SWAPO called him "Leader of the Namibian Revolution".

Early Life and Education

Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma was born on 12 May 1929. His birthplace was Etunda, a village near Okahao in Ovamboland, which was then called Southwest Africa. His parents were Helvi Mpingana Kondombolo and Daniel Uutoni Nujoma. Helvi, his mother, was a princess. This helped Nujoma gain support during his political career. He was the oldest of his parents' eleven children.

Nujoma spent his early years caring for his younger siblings. He also helped with the family's cattle and farming. He had limited chances for education. He started school at a Finnish missionary school when he was ten. He finished Standard Six, which was the highest level black students could reach then.

In 1946, at age 17, he moved to Walvis Bay to live with his aunt. There, he got his first job at a general store. He earned 10 shillings a month. He also worked at a whaling station. Meeting sailors from different countries during World War II helped him learn about world politics.

In 1949, Nujoma moved to Windhoek. He worked as a cleaner for the South African Railways. At the same time, he went to night school to improve his English. He also studied by mail to get his Junior Certificate.

Starting His Political Journey

After World War I, South Africa took control of the former German colony of South West Africa. The League of Nations officially gave South Africa the right to govern the area. In 1948, the National Party won elections in South Africa. They created laws for racial segregation called apartheid. These laws were also put in place in South West Africa.

Nujoma became involved in politics in the early 1950s. He joined trade unions. His work experiences and seeing the unfair contract labor system shaped his political views. He also learned about independence movements happening across Africa. In 1957, Nujoma left his job to focus more on politics.

In 1957, some Namibians working in Cape Town formed the Ovamboland People's Congress (OPC). This group was against South African policies in South West Africa. They especially opposed the harsh contract labor system, where people were forced to work for very low pay. In 1958, a leader named Andimba Toivo ya Toivo sent a request to the United Nations (UN). He asked the UN to make South Africa give up control of South West Africa. Because of this, he was sent away from Cape Town.

On 19 April 1959, Nujoma and another OPC founder, Jacob Kuhangua, started the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) in Windhoek. Nujoma was elected its first president. He secretly traveled around Namibia, gathering support for OPO. In September 1959, the South West African National Union (SWANU) was formed. Nujoma joined its leadership, representing OPO.

Sam Nujoma pictured in 1979.

After a protest called the Old Location Massacre in December 1959, Nujoma was arrested. He was accused of organizing the protest. The OPO leaders decided he should go into exile to lobby the United Nations for Namibia's freedom. In February 1960, Nujoma left Namibia. He traveled through several African countries, meeting other nationalist leaders like Patrice Lumumba and Kwame Nkrumah. These meetings helped him develop a Pan-African view, meaning he believed in the unity of all African people.

In April 1960, OPO changed its name to the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) in New York. Nujoma was elected president even though he was not there. He arrived in New York in June 1960 and spoke to the United Nations. He demanded that South West Africa become independent by 1963. He then returned to Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in 1961. From there, he and a small group of activists built SWAPO into an international force. He got strong support from Julius Nyerere, the president of Tanganyika. Nujoma set up SWAPO's main office in Dar es Salaam. He also arranged for Namibians to get scholarships and military training.

In 1962, SWAPO created its armed group, the South West African Liberation Army (SWALA). It was later renamed the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). Nujoma got the first weapons from Algeria. On 21 March 1966, Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba tried to return to Windhoek. They were arrested at the airport and sent back to Zambia the next day.

On 26 August 1966, the first armed fight happened between SWALA and South African forces. This attack at Omugulugwombashe started the Namibian War of Independence. This war lasted for over 25 years. In 1969, Nujoma was confirmed again as SWAPO President.

In the late 1960s, Nujoma continued his diplomatic work. SWAPO opened offices across Africa, Europe, and the Americas. He represented SWAPO at the start of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. He also attended the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. In 1965, the OAU recognized SWAPO as the only true representative of the Namibian people.

Günter Sieber (right), a German official, greets Sam Nujoma in Berlin in August 1989.

In 1974, the Portuguese Empire ended. This made Namibia's border with Angola easier for guerrilla fighters to cross. Nujoma realized this would change the war. Over the next two years, SWAPO's military moved its base from Zambia to Angola. This open border allowed thousands of SWAPO supporters to leave Namibia and join the movement in exile. Nujoma's son Utoni Nujoma and his two brothers were among them.

In the late 1970s, Nujoma led SWAPO's negotiation team. They talked with a group of Western countries and South Africa about a plan for free and fair elections in Namibia. This plan became United Nations Security Council Resolution 435 in September 1978. However, it took another ten years for the plan to be put into action. South Africa delayed, and the U.S. linked Namibian independence to Cuban troops leaving Angola. On 19 March 1989, a cease-fire agreement was signed with South Africa. This led to the start of Resolution 435.

After 29 years in exile, Nujoma returned to Namibia in September 1989. He led SWAPO to victory in the UN-supervised elections. These elections prepared the way for independence. Nujoma came back just before the UN deadline for Namibians to register to vote. The Constituent Assembly, elected in November 1989, chose him as Namibia's first president. Nujoma was sworn in on 21 March 1990. Important leaders like Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (UN Secretary-General), Frederik de Klerk (president of South Africa), and Nelson Mandela (just released from prison) were there.

Leading SWAPO

In 1959, Nujoma helped start the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO). He became its first president. The next year, in 1960, he became the first president of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO). At that time, South Africa controlled Namibia under apartheid. This policy meant that white people had the best resources, and other Namibians were treated unfairly.

After years of asking the United Nations to make South Africa give up control, Nujoma approved armed resistance in 1966. This started the Namibian War of Independence, which lasted 24 years. During this fight, Nujoma used the combat name Shafiishuna, which means "lightning." This name was from his father's family. During the struggle, Nujoma was also the commander of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). He was also the chairman of the SWAPO Military Council, which made important decisions for PLAN.

After leading SWAPO for 47 years, Hifikepunye Pohamba took over in 2007. There was talk that Nujoma might try to be re-elected as SWAPO leader in 2007. Some thought he planned to run for president again in 2009. However, in October 2007, Nujoma said he would not seek re-election as SWAPO President. He said he would step aside for Pohamba. Pohamba was then elected SWAPO president without opposition on 29 November 2007. Nujoma said he was "passing the torch and mantle of leadership to comrade Pohamba." The party also gave Nujoma the title "Leader of the Namibian Revolution." This was in addition to his title, "Founding Father of the Namibian Nation." Nujoma chose to leave active politics. He was not re-elected to the SWAPO Central Committee or Politburo. However, the party allowed him to attend meetings "at his discretion."

President of Namibia

As the head of SWAPO, Nujoma was chosen as president after SWAPO won the UN-supervised election in 1989. UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar swore him in on 21 March 1990.

When Namibia became independent, it was very divided. This was because of a century of colonialism, unfair land distribution, and racial discrimination. The armed struggle and propaganda also made things worse. For example, many white people and others were very afraid of SWAPO because of what they had heard. One of Nujoma's first big achievements was to announce a policy of "national reconciliation." This policy aimed to improve relations among Namibia's different racial and ethnic groups.

Under his presidency, Namibia made steady economic progress. The country kept a democratic system and respected human rights. It followed the rule of law. Nujoma worked to remove the effects of apartheid. He wanted to create a society where race did not matter. Nujoma successfully brought all Namibians together into a peaceful, accepting, and democratic society.

In 1992, Norway stopped giving drought relief to Namibia. This was because Namibia bought an expensive new presidential jet and two VIP helicopters. The planes were bought just weeks after Nujoma asked for international help with the drought.

In 1990, Nujoma started a plan for land reform. This plan aimed to give land from white farmers to black citizens. By 2007, about 12% of the country's commercial farmland was given to black citizens. However, in 1998, the Namibian Cabinet said that the farming base was too weak to provide lasting wealth. As of 2010, 38% of Namibia's rural people still lived below the poverty line.

Nujoma with Shankar Dayal Sharma, President of India, in 1995.

Nujoma was re-elected president of Namibia in December 1994. He won with 76.3% of the votes. The constitution of Namibia was changed to allow Nujoma to run for a third five-year term in 1999. This change was only for Nujoma because he had not been directly elected for his first term. He won the 1999 election with 76.8% of the votes. The constitution did not allow Nujoma to run for a fourth term in November 2004. Even within SWAPO, there was not much interest in changing the constitution again.

Hifikepunye Pohamba, who Nujoma chose as his successor, was elected as the candidate for the presidential election. This happened during the SWAPO congress on 30 May 2004. Pohamba won by a large majority. He was sworn in as the second president of Namibia on 21 March 2005.

Nujoma with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, in 2004

In 1998, Nujoma supported Democratic Republic of Congo President Laurent Kabila. Kabila's rule was threatened by rebels supported by Rwanda and Uganda during the Second Congo War. Namibia joined the war to uphold its commitment to the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Namibian, Angolan, and Zimbabwean troops helped Kabila fight off the attacks. Nujoma saw this as defending the DRC's right to govern itself without outside interference.

Nujoma in 2003

Nujoma was a global supporter of the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. He also supported the rights of women and children. He called for fathers to pay for the care of children born outside marriage. He also opposed the practice of forcing widows out of their homes after their husbands died.

After His Presidency

Nujoma meets with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Windhoek on 25 June 2009.

Sam Nujoma with awarded athletes Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma and their coach Henk Botha in Walvis Bay, on 24 November 2021.

Even after stepping down as president, Nujoma remained active in politics. He often campaigned for SWAPO at rallies and events across the country. In 2009, Nujoma earned a master's degree in geology from the University of Namibia.

After leaving the presidency, Nujoma lived on his private farm near Otavi. He also stayed at a SWAPO-owned property outside Windhoek. In 2015, the government gave him an official residence.

Family and Passing

Nujoma married Kovambo Theopoldine Katjimune on 6 May 1956. They had three sons and one daughter. Their children were Utoni Daniel (born 1952), John Ndeshipanda (1955–1993), Sakaria "Zacky" Nujoma (born 1957), and Nelago Nujoma (born 1959). Sadly, Nelago died at 18 months old while Nujoma was in exile. His wife joined him abroad two decades later.

Nujoma's first son, Utoni, is a high-ranking politician. He has served in both the Cabinet and the National Assembly. His youngest son, Zacky, is a geologist and has interests in business and mining.

Nujoma's father was arrested in 1966 and sent to prison. He died in 1968 from tuberculosis. Nujoma's mother, Kuku Helvi Mpingana Kondombolo, lived to be very old, reportedly over 100 years old, and passed away in November 2008.

Nujoma made his last public appearance at the funeral of President Hage Geingob in February 2024. In July 2024, Nujoma was hospitalized in Windhoek after feeling unwell. He had also been hospitalized the month before.

Sam Nujoma passed away on 8 February 2025, at the age of 95. He died at a hospital in Windhoek, where he had been for three weeks due to an illness. The Namibian government announced a period of national mourning for his death.

Awards and Recognition

Honorary Doctorates

See also

In Spanish: Sam Nujoma para niños

• History of Namibia
• Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, co-founder of both OPO and SWAPO
• Aaron Mushimba, brother-in-law and prominent businessperson

In Books and Films

• Sam Nujoma, Where Others Wavered, The Autobiography of Sam Nujoma, London 2001
• Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation, an epic film by Charles Burnett, which shows the Namibian independence movement through Nujoma's eyes.