29 moments

1. Birth at Etunda

   1929-05-12 · Etunda, near Okahao, Ovamboland, South West Africa (now Namibia)

   Nujoma was born at Etunda, a village in Ongandjera near Okahao, in northern South West Africa. Coordinates are a representative point near Okahao because the source identifies Etunda as a village near, rather than at, Okahao.

2. Move to Walvis Bay

   1946-01-01 · Walvis Bay, South West Africa (now Namibia)

   At age 17, Nujoma moved to Walvis Bay, lived with an aunt, and began work at a general store before later working at a whaling station.

3. Move to Windhoek

   1949-01-01 · Windhoek, South West Africa (now Namibia)

   Nujoma moved to Windhoek, worked for South African Railways, and attended night school in the Old Location.

4. OPO organizing in Windhoek

   1959-01-01 · Windhoek, South West Africa (now Namibia)

   

   Nujoma helped establish the Windhoek branch of the Ovamboland People’s Organization and was elected its president at its first congress.

5. Arrival in Dar es Salaam

   1960-01-01 · Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (now Tanzania)

   Nujoma traveled through southern and central Tanganyika to Dar es Salaam, where Julius Nyerere assisted him in obtaining a passport. The source provides the route but not a more precise arrival date.

6. Hospital stay in Mbeya

   1960-01-01 · Mbeya, Tanganyika (now Tanzania)

   Nujoma reached Mbeya, where he was treated for malaria and then escaped from hospital after threats of arrest. The event occurred on Nujoma’s 1960 exile route; the source does not provide a more precise date.

7. Meeting in Katanga

   1960-01-01 · Katanga Province, Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)

   After crossing into Katanga, Nujoma met Moise Tshombe before returning across the border to Ndola. The source identifies only Katanga Province; coordinates are a representative provincial point.

8. Train journey to Bulawayo

   1960-01-01 · Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)

   During his flight into exile, Nujoma traveled by train from Bechuanaland to Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia. The source places this journey in the 1960 exile route but does not give a separate arrival date for Bulawayo.

9. Transit through Ndola

   1960-01-01 · Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)

   Nujoma reached Ndola in Northern Rhodesia during the first stage of his exile journey. The source gives the route but not a separate arrival date for Ndola.

10. Transit through Salisbury

    1960-01-01 · Harare (then Salisbury), Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)

    Nujoma flew from Bulawayo through Salisbury, now Harare, during his journey north from Namibia. The source gives the route but not a separate arrival date for Salisbury.

11. Escape into Bechuanaland

    1960-02-29 · Bechuanaland (now Botswana)

    Nujoma began his escape from Namibia into exile, crossing into Bechuanaland before continuing by train toward Southern Rhodesia. The source gives Bechuanaland but not a specific border crossing; coordinates represent Botswana broadly.

12. All-African Peoples' Conference

    1960-04-01 · Accra, Ghana

    Nujoma traveled via Khartoum to Accra and attended the All-African Peoples’ Conference organized by Kwame Nkrumah.

13. Arrival in New York

    1960-06-01 · United Nations Headquarters, New York City, New York, United States

    Nujoma arrived in New York and petitioned the United Nations General Assembly Fourth Committee for Namibian independence.

14. SWAPO provisional headquarters

    1961-01-01 · Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (now Tanzania)

    After returning to Tanganyika, Nujoma established SWAPO’s provisional headquarters in Dar es Salaam and organized scholarships and military training.

15. Founding of the Non-Aligned Movement

    1961-09-01 · Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia)

    Nujoma represented SWAPO at the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade.

16. Founding of the Organisation of African Unity

    1963-05-25 · Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Nujoma represented SWAPO at the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in Addis Ababa.

17. Arrest at Windhoek airport

    1966-03-21 · Windhoek airport, South West Africa (now Namibia)

    Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba flew to Windhoek to challenge South Africa’s claim that exiled Namibians could freely return; they were arrested upon arrival. The article calls the site Windhoek airport without naming the facility; coordinates identify the principal international airport serving Windhoek.

18. Lecture at University College Dar es Salaam

    1969-01-13 · University College, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Nujoma delivered a lecture as SWAPO president at University College, Dar es Salaam. Coordinates represent the University of Dar es Salaam area, successor institutional location for the historical University College.

19. Tanga Consultative Conference

    1969-12-01 · Tanga, Tanzania

    Nujoma delivered a speech to SWAPO’s Consultative Conference at Tanga, where he was reaffirmed as SWAPO president. The archival title gives a date range; the card uses month-level precision.

20. World Conference Against Apartheid

    1977-01-01 · Lisbon, Portugal

    

    At the World Conference Against Apartheid in Lisbon, Nujoma argued for dismantling colonial and apartheid institutions in Namibia.

21. Meeting French officials in Paris

    1989-06-27 · Paris, France

    While visiting Paris shortly before his return to Namibia, Nujoma was received by a diplomatic adviser to French prime minister Michel Rocard. The French-language source identifies Nujoma as being received in Paris on Tuesday, 27 June 1989.

22. Arrival in Berlin

    1989-08-01 · Berlin, East Germany (now Germany)

    

    Nujoma arrived in Berlin and was greeted by East German official Günter Sieber during the final months of the Namibian independence transition. The source gives Berlin but no more specific arrival location.

23. Return from exile to Windhoek

    1989-09-01 · Windhoek, Namibia

    After nearly three decades in exile, Nujoma returned to Namibia and was received in Windhoek by Hage Geingob. This is Nujoma’s retrospective statement in his February 2024 tribute to Hage Geingob.

24. Sworn in as Namibia's president

    1990-03-21 · Independence Stadium, Windhoek, Namibia

    At Namibian independence, Nujoma took the oath of office as the Republic’s first president at the National Stadium in Windhoek. The UN report calls the venue the National Stadium; coordinates identify Independence Stadium in Windhoek.

25. United Nations conference in Geneva

    2000-01-01 · Geneva, Switzerland

    Nujoma attended a United Nations conference in Geneva during his presidency. The source does not identify the specific UN venue.

26. Meeting Dmitry Medvedev

    2009-06-25 · Windhoek, Namibia

    

    Nujoma met Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Windhoek after leaving the presidency.

27. 87th-birthday gathering at Farm Etunda

    2016-05-01 · Farm Etunda, south of Otavi, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia

    Nujoma marked his 87th birthday at his Farm Etunda property south of Otavi, where supporters gathered for celebrations and contributed to a school and clinic project. The source places Farm Etunda about 30 kilometres south of Otavi; coordinates are an approximate representative point.

28. Meeting athletes in Walvis Bay

    2021-11-24 · Walvis Bay, Namibia

    

    Nujoma appeared with athletes Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma and their coach Henk Botha in Walvis Bay.

29. Death in Windhoek

    2025-02-08 · Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

    Nujoma died in a Windhoek hospital after several weeks of confinement due to illness. The hospital is not named in the source; coordinates represent Windhoek.