Nujoma was unable to speak – Pohamba

Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba says the death of founding president Sam Nujoma did not come as a shock to him.

Nujoma was in a frail state and unable to speak during their last interaction, he says.

Pohamba was speaking to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) at his home in Okanghudi kaPohamba on Tuesday.

“I have to be frank with you, I was not shocked when the news came,” the former president said.

Pohamba said during their last meeting, they couldn’t have their usual conversation, a routine he had come to cherish over the years.

“When I saw him, I found my leader, my comrade, and my brother seriously ill. I could not talk to him, he was unable to talk,” he told NBC.

Pohamba said upon leaving the hospital, he was wondering whether “comrade Sam Nujoma will wake up one day and meet with me to talk to one another as it had been the case in the past”.

Pohamba said after the hospital visit, he expected “anything” to happen.

“I felt that the colleague had fought for his life,” he said.

Looking back on Nujoma’s legacy, Pohamba highlighted his significant contributions to Namibia, saying his impact is immeasurable.

He urged that Nujoma’s life and achievements be honoured to keep his legacy alive for future generations.

Nujoma and Pohamba first met in 1960 in Dar es Salaam, marking the beginning of a friendship which went on to grow over the years.

The Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) reported that Pohamba cautioned Namibians not to destroy what the late founding president built.

He called on Namibians to work towards building on the foundations Nujoma established.

During his last visit to Nujoma, he realised how fragile life is, he said.

“Death came to Nujoma, and we are no longer going to see him, but we have to look at what Nujoma has done from his childhood up to the time he left office.”

Pohamba urged Namibians to build on Nujoma’s vision for the nation and highlighted how he brought independence to the country’s citizens, liberating them from oppression.

He said under no circumstances should they waste their independence and fall back into oppression ever again.

He would forever cherish the memories he and Nujoma shared during the struggle for independence, the Cassinga Massacre, and ultimately, Namibia’s independence, he said.

“When I think of 21 March 1990, it reminds me of many Namibians killed during Cassinga, whose blood watered our freedom. Overall, freedom was brought and covered all corners of the country,” Pohamba said.

Echoing her husband’s sentiments, former first lady Penehupifo Pohamba extended her condolences to founding first lady Kovambo Nujoma and the entire Nujoma family.

“I thank God for the life of Nujoma. He has done a lot for the Namibian people and completed his task on earth,” she said.

She urged Namibians to carry forward Nujoma’s vision and ensure the continued development of the country.

– Additional reporting by Nampa