KINGSTON, Jamaica— Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign and Regional Affairs Dr Angela Brown Burke says she is saddened by the news of the passing of former President of Namibia Sam Nujoma.

“On behalf of the People’s National Party, I extend our deepest condolences to the people and Government of Namibia on the passing of former President Nujoma. His remarkable life and legacy will be remembered for generations to come. As the first president of independent Namibia, Nujoma’s courage and vision for a free Namibia and a unified Africa inspired a nation and left an indelible mark on the continent”, said Dr Brown Burke Brown in a statement on Monday.

The Opposition spokesperson said his leadership in the fight for independence from South Africa in 1990, and his role in founding the South West Peoples’ Organisation (Swapo) in the 1960s, will forever be etched in the annals of history.

“Nujoma spent nearly 30 years in exile as leader of Namibia’s independence movement before returning for parliamentary elections in 1989, the first democratic vote in the country. His fulsome support of the advancement of women in a patriarchal society did not go unnoticed as he was known to speak of competent and experienced women as leaders.We honour his memory and celebrate his contributions to the struggle for freedom and self-determination,” Brown Burke said.

Brown Burke said she hopes his legacy will be a source of strength and inspiration to the people of Namibia and the African diaspora.

Sam Nujoma died on Saturday at age 95.

Sam Nujoma. AFP Photo.