Namibia bids Nujoma farewell

2005-03-18 18:40

Brigitte Weidlich

Windhoek - Namibia is bidding farewell to its founding president and independence hero Sam Nujoma, who steps down on Monday after 15 years in power, having accomplished his goal of "bringing freedom to the motherland".

After five decades in the political limelight in the southern African country, the Swapo (South West Africa People's Organisation) leader is handing over power to his chosen successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba, a fellow veteran of the struggle against apartheid South African rule.

Apart from Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Nujoma is the only African leader left in power since his country's independence. Namibia was one of the last countries on the continent to shed its colonial tag in 1990.

Nujoma, who turns 76 in May, this week declared that Namibia had succeeded in transforming itself "from an outpost of apartheid colonial occupation and oppression to a vibrant democratic society".

"The task was not easy," Nujoma told his cabinet in a farewell address.

A German colony until World War 1, Namibia, then known as South West Africa, was ruled by apartheid South Africa as a de-facto province, which it used as a springboard to stage military operations against Swapo and Marxist Angola from the mid-1970s onward.

But as Swapo stepped up its armed campaign, winning support inside the country, international pressure also increased on Pretoria to submit to a UN-designed plan for free elections held under the world body's supervision.

After a major battle in the southern Angolan town of Cuito Cuanavale which ended in April 1988, for which both South Africa and Angola claimed victory, a treaty was signed.

South Africa began pulling its troops out of Angola and Namibia, and transitional elections in Namibia in 1989 handed Nujoma's liberation movement just over 57% of the vote.

On 21 March 1990, the new nation's flag was raised.

"We are here to celebrate the dawn of a new era," Nujoma said in his maiden speech.

Fifteen years later, the outgoing president told his final cabinet meeting: "I retire with the knowledge that our initial goal and mission of bringing freedom to our motherland has been accomplished."

Under Nujoma the arid country t has seen steady economic growth at 3.8% percent per year, according to government figures.

Road and communications networks were expanded to almost all corners, reliable water and electricity supply is now reaching 80% of the population and literacy rates stand at 80%, with more than 90% enrolment in primary schools, again according to government figures.

Diamond mining remains the backbone of the economy, accounting for some 40% of the gross domestic product, followed by fisheries.

However with unemployment hovering at around 35%, creating jobs will be one of the biggest challenges facing Pohamba, 69, after he takes the oath on Monday.

As lands minister, Pohamba has also announced plans to expropriate land from white farmers.

- AFP