Sam Nujoma dies a figure of state-sponsored homophobia in Africa

A Historic Namibian Leader Passes Away at 95

Sam Nujoma, the first president of Namibia and a key figure in its independence, passed away on February 8 at the age of 95. As the founder and leader of SWAPO (South West Africa People’s Organization), he led an armed struggle that resulted in the country’s liberation from South African apartheid rule in 1990. After serving three terms as head of state, he stepped down in 2005, leaving behind a stable Namibia with a population of two million.

An Ally of Robert Mugabe and a Strong Opponent of LGBT+ Rights

A close ally of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Sam Nujoma shared his anti-Western ideology, which manifested in a declared hostility toward homosexuality. As early as the 1990s, both leaders equated sexual minorities with foreign influences, despite the fact that many homophobic laws in Africa actually originated from colonial legal codes. In Namibia, for example, sodomy was criminalized under South African law until the Supreme Court repealed the provision in 2024.

The Political Instrumentalization of Homophobia

The rise of homosexuality as a public debate topic in Southern Africa can be largely attributed to the rhetoric of political figures like Nujoma and Mugabe. In 1995, SWAPO launched an anti-LGBT+ campaign, using accusations of homosexuality to discredit political opponents. In 2001, Nujoma publicly declared that Namibia “does not allow homosexuality or lesbianism,” instructing law enforcement to arrest and deport those involved.

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, condemned these statements as a political distraction aimed at covering up socio-economic issues such as unemployment. Despite these criticisms, such rhetoric resonated across multiple African nations, where religious leaders have since taken up anti-LGBT+ discourse.

A Regional Context Marked by Rising Homophobia

Namibia has not been immune to the growing anti-LGBT+ sentiment in Africa. In 2023, following the Supreme Court’s recognition of same-sex marriages conducted abroad, the Namibian Parliament passed laws restricting marriage to heterosexual couples. Similar trends have emerged elsewhere on the continent, such as in Uganda, where strict anti-homosexuality legislation was enacted in the same year.

Thus, while Sam Nujoma will be remembered as the father of Namibian independence, his legacy also includes a policy of intolerance that continues to shape the country’s social and political climate.

For more you can see rainbow project page on wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibia%27s_Rainbow_Project