Africa-Press – Namibia. The Sam Nujoma Foundation will pursue additional ways to honour the legacy of the late founding president.
Former prime minister and the foundation’s chairperson, Nahas Angula, disclosed these plans during a remembrance ceremony on Monday at Heroes’ Acre.
The ceremony was to mark what would have been Sam Nujoma’s 96th birthday. It was the first time the day was commemorated since his passing in February this year.
According to Angula, the initiatives include reviving unfinished initiatives such as the Etunda Farm Primary School, which he intended to donate to the government to serve children of farm labourers.
“His devotion to Namibia’s natural heritage was reflected in his lifelong advocacy for tree planting and environmental conservation,” said Angula, who also compared the late leader to the baobab tree, calling him “an enduring symbol of strength, resilience, and decisiveness.”
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah led the event, joined by dignitaries, family members, and comrades who gathered at Nujoma’s gravesite to reflect on his legacy.
The ceremony opened with the planting of commemorative trees by President Nandi-Ndaitwah and Founding First Lady Kovambo Nujoma under the theme: The Baobab Tree Has Fallen, but Its Roots Endure. The gesture aimed to reflect Nujoma’s lifelong commitment to environmental conservation.
“The planting of trees must remain a symbol of resilience, life and continuity. Trees symbolise life and growth. The Baobab tree in particular, which is also known as the Tree of Life, is a fitting tribute to our Founding President, who made enormous sacrifices for Namibia to rise and to become a sovereign nation that stands tall among nations of the world,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She added that similar tree planting ceremonies were held across the country and could become an annual event on 12 May to keep Nujoma’s environmental legacy alive.
Speaking on behalf of the Nujoma family, Khomas Regional Governor Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma reflected on the liberation struggle and his grandfather’s vision for a free Namibia.
“We recall the sweet taste of independence on the 21st of March 1990, when my husband declared to the world that Namibia was forever free, sovereign and independent,” he said.
He highlighted achievements in infrastructure, including roads, schools, clinics, and communication networks across all 14 regions, as a direct result of Nujoma’s policies after independence.
He also credited his grandfather’s legacy with fostering peace, stability, and regional trade routes.
Describing the Founding President as a visionary, Pan-Africanist, and the only Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia.
“We have built infrastructure such as roads, schools, clinics, and expanded transport and communication networks in all fourteen regions of our country,” he said.
He concluded by calling on Namibians to embrace unity and shared prosperity, echoing his grandfather’s words: “A people united, striving to achieve a common good for all the members of the society, will always emerge victorious.”
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