The revolutionary leader who released Namibia

Honored as the “father of the nation” and the icon of Namibia’s liberation struggle, Nukhoma Sam did these expectations in more ways than one.

His warm, wide smile and easy way made him enjoyable and affordable.

Whether he is applying an tracksuit to join Windhoek’s Independence Avenue, or to insist that his driver hangs from official motorcycles, he aims to be human being.

Now, four decades after Namibia’s wage during a bitter guerrilla war against the racist Apartheid Government in South Africa and Independence, Nuhoma has died at age 95S

He died on Saturday after being in hospital for three weeks due to “poor health”, President Nangolo Mbumba statementAdding that death has “shaken” the country.

The giant, who forms the national identity of Namibia, leaves invalid few, can hope to fill.

Namibia, called Southwestern Africa, has suffered decades of robbery and colonial violence from the hands of Europeans who have reached the country around the early 20th century.

Since 1904, the German colonizers have killed tens of thousands of Namibians in what is called the world “Forgotten genocide”S German officers used Black Africans as guinea pigs for horrific crimes, later repeated by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Namibia was under German occupation from 1884 to 1915, when Germany lost its colony in World War I.

At that time, Namibia was ruled by White South Africa, which expanded its racist laws to the country, denying the black namibians all political rights, and limited social and economic freedoms.

The introduction of apartheid’s metement legislation led to a guerrilla war on independence, which broke out in 1966.

At this stage, Nujoma is already involved in the fight against the White Minority rule.

The self-recognized “older son of a rural family” from the northern village of Etunda had a modest start in life, with a little more than elementary school.

Married to Cothabo Theopldin Catrimun, with whom he has four children and worked on a railway line, he kept a deep passion for politics and longed to see his people free from the injustice and outrage of colonialism.

The inspiration came in the stories of the early leaders of Namibia’s resistance, such as Hendrick Vitbuy, who fought against the Germans in the 1880s.

By 1959, Nujoma had become the head of the Owambland Peoples organization, the independence movement, which was a precursor to Swapo.

A year later, at the age of 30, Nuhoma is forced to exile. Without a passport he used his cunning to accept different persons and make his way to trains and planes – ending in Zambia and Tanzania before heading to West Africa.

With the help of the Liberian authorities, who were early supporters of the push of black namibians for independence, Nuhoma flew to New York and filed a petition to the UN to help Namibia his independence – but South Africa declined.

Nujoma was a branded “Marxist terrorist” by the white leaders of South Africa for leading forces that fought along with the movement against apartheid, presenting a huge challenge to the oppressive regimes in several South African countries.

With the support of the Cuban troops who fought in neighboring Angola, the guerrillas Sapapo managed to attack the South African bases in Namibia.

Returning from exile, Nuhoma was quickly raised by South African authorities and deported in Zambia six years later.

“We knew that only the military power and the mass political mobilization, supported by the support of the people, would push South Africa from Namibia,” Nuhoma said in his autobiography, where others divorced, which was published in 2001.

He led SWAPO forces from exile before returning to the country in 1989, a year after South Africa agreed to Namibian independence.

South Africa was becoming more and more insulated in international and the cost of military intervention was increasing. Namibia finally won independence in 1990 after almost 25 years of war.

In the first democratic election of Namibia in 1990, Swapo won a huge majority and Nujoma became the first president in the country.

Nujoma was particularly concerned about the difficult position of the children, introducing maintenance payments, obliging absent fathers to contribute to the cost of raising their offspring.

He also supports the progress of women, helping to change traditional patriarchal practices that push widows from the family home after their husband died.

He also seemed to retain stability to ensure that development efforts were supported by international donors.

Nujoma was re -elected for two more terms in 1994 and 1999 – when he was criticized for changing the constitution so that he could stand for a third term of office.

When criticized for his style of government or questioned about the political past of his party, a broad smile can become acidic. By pointing a finger to anyone who dares to question or criticize openly, he will sometimes lose his face and throw insults.

He openly disgusts the same -sex relations, but never came to a change in the constitution or law to make them illegal.

Nuhoma always appreciated his close friendship with Robert Mugabe on Zimbabwe, but as president of Namibia, he was most focused on open aggression against those who disagree with him.

However, through the Swapo machines, he will very happily put pressure on the average person to draw the party line and allow the party to deepen in government boxes to ensure a continuous rule.

Nujoma’s cabinet has often been dictated, not to make decisions through a joint debate, this is his power.

When he retired as president in 2005 and as president of SWAPO in 2007, after performing the functions of a party leader for 47 years – he gave power to his successor Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Even after leaving his post, Nuhoma still has considerable power over the party and the government behind the scenes.

Yet his achievements, while in service, are indisputable, with many Namibians praising him to lead the country’s smooth transition to democratic government.

After independence, Namibia is seen as one of the stories of success in Africa, with regular peaceful and democratic elections.

And despite the humiliation and injustices accumulated on black namibians by white colonizers, Nuhoma supported the country’s constitution in protecting the fundamental rights of all Namibians, regardless of their race or color.

National reconciliation policy has encouraged to remain the white community of the country, and they still play a major role in agriculture and other economic sectors.

Nujoma’s ability to unite a nation of three million people – in 10 ethnic and linguistic communities – has won it many fans.

In recognition of the uplifting achievement, the Namibian Parliament gave him the official status of Namibia’s founder in 2005. Many international awards include the Lenin Peace Award, the Peace Award of Indira Gandhi and the Peace Award of Ho Chi Min.

In recent years, Nuhoma has disappeared from the spotlight, preferring to spend time with his big family instead.

He is remembered by his easy charm and unwavering conviction – a father not only of a family, but of an entire nation.

Additional reporting from Booty Natasha