WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Sam Nujoma, the fiery freedom fighter who led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 and served as its first president for 15 years, and was generally known as the daddy of the nation, has died. He was 95.
Nujoma’s dying was introduced Sunday by present Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba. Mbumba mentioned Nujoma died on Saturday night time after being hospitalized within the capital, Windhoek.
Nujoma was revered in his homeland as a charismatic father determine who steered his nation to democracy and stability after lengthy colonial rule by Germany and a bitter battle of independence from South Africa.
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He was the final of a technology of African leaders who led their international locations out of colonial or white minority rule that included South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda and Mozambique’s Samora Machel.
Many Namibians credited Nujoma’s management for the method of nationwide therapeutic and reconciliation after the deep divisions brought on by the independence battle and South Africa’s insurance policies of dividing the nation into ethnically primarily based regional governments, with separate training and well being take care of every race.
Even his political opponents praised Nujoma — who was branded a Marxist and accused of ruthless suppression of dissent whereas in exile — for establishing a democratic Structure and involving white businessmen and politicians in authorities after independence.
Regardless of his pragmatism and nation-building at residence, Nujoma usually hit international headlines for his fierce anti-Western rhetoric. He claimed AIDS was a man-made organic weapon and in addition sometimes waged a verbal battle on homosexuality, calling gays “idiots” and branding homosexuality a “international and corrupt ideology.”
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AP Africa information: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
