Sam Nujoma – A Chronology

1929 – Born at Etunda in the Omusati region
1939 – Starts formal schooling at age of ten
1945 – Completes Standard Six at Okahao Finnish Mission School
1946 – Moves to live with an aunt in Walvis Bay
1949 – Moves to Windhoek and works for South African Railways
1956 – Marries Kovambo Katjimune
1959 – Chosen as the President of the Ovamboland People’s Organisation (OPO)

1959 – Joins the executive committee of the South West Africa National Union (Swanu)1960 – Leaves Namibia in wake of the Old Location shootings1960 – Arrives in Tan-ganyika on March 211960 – Visits Ghana and meets with President Kwame Nkrumah1960 – Chosen as founding President of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo)1960 – Arrives in New York to petition the UN for Namibian independence1961 – Returns to Tanzania and sets up Swapo headquarters there1966 – Returns to Windhoek to challenge South African claim that he was in ‘self-exile’. Deported 16 hours later1969 – Re-affirmed as Swapo President at Tanga Consultative Con-ference1971 – Becomes the first African liberation movement leader to address the UN Security Council1973 – Awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet UnionLate 1970s – Leads Namibian delegation which negotiates UN Security Council Resolu-tion 435, the framework for Namibian independence1988 – Signs ceasefire which ends liberation war1989 – Returns to Namibia and is given a hero’s welcome1990 – Constituent Assembly selects him as country’s president1990 – Sworn in as Namibia’s first President on March 211990 – Receives the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize from India1993 – Appointed Chancellor of the University of Namibia (Unam) 1994 – Wins 74% support in presidential poll1995 – Receives Grand Master of the Order of Welwitschia from Namibia 1995 – Receives Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger 1998 – Orders Namibian troops to fight on behalf of President Laurent Kabila in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)1999 – Constitution changed to allow him to run for third term in office1999 – Wins 77% sup-port in presidential poll2001 – His autobiography, ‘Where Others Wavered: My Life in Swapo and My Participation in the Liberation Struggle of Namibia’, is published2001 – Champions the construction of the Tsumeb-Oshikango railway line2002 – Makes widely publicised attack on British Prime Minister Tony Blair at a UN summit in South Africa2004 – Confirms he will retire as head of state in 2005; supports Hifikepunye Pohamba as his successor2005 – Given the of-ficial title ‘Founding Father of the Namibian Nation’ by parliament2005 – Commences studies for a masters degree in Geology at Unam2007 – Retires as Pres-ident of Swapo2007 – Given the title ‘Leader of the Namibian Revolution’ by Swapo2009 – Awarded a Masters of Science (MSc) Degree in Geology by the University of Namibia