Former Namibian President San Nujoma is Dead

The first president of independent Namibia, Sam Nujoma, has died at the age of 95 in the capital Windhoek, the country’s current leader has announced.

Nujoma led a long struggle for independence from South Africa in 1990 after helping to found the Namibian liberation movement known as the South West Peoples’ Organization (Swapo) in the 1960s.

After independence, Nujoma became president in 1990 and led the country until 2005.

Nujoma had been hospitalized for the past three weeks due to an illness from which he “could not recover”, Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba said in a statement announcing the death with “deep sadness and regret”.

He added: “Our founding father lived a long and fruitful life in which he served the people of his beloved country exceptionally well.”

Nujoma retired as head of state in 2005, but continued to lead the party before stepping down in 2007 as president of the ruling Swapo party after leading it for 47 years.