Nujoma misses sister’s funeral
Written by on June 23, 2024
Founding president Sam Nujoma (95) did not attend the memorial service of his late sister, Frieda Daniel (91), this past weekend.
Nujoma instead sent a statement, which was read on his behalf by his son Utoni.
Daniel was the second-born in the family after Nujoma.
Utoni hung up when The Namibian called and asked why his father did not attend Daniel’s burial.
Neither Nujoma’s spokesperson Paul Shipale nor Nujoma’s personal doctor were reachable for comment yesterday.
Chairperson of the Sam Nujoma Foundation Nahas Angula yesterday referred The Namibian to Nujoma’s family.
“That’s a family question. Ask Utoni or his doctor, not me,” Angula said.
In his speech, Nujoma said he could not come to terms with the reality that his sister is no more.
“As soon as I heard the sad news of her passing, nearly my emotions got the better of me, and it felt like I had no strength to move as I learnt that the late kuku Frieda Nandjala Daniel Shikongo, or as I affectionately simply used to call her ‘Nandjala gwaNdani shilandula shandje’, is no more,” Nujoma said.
His last public appearance was in February this year during former president Hage Geingob’s memorial service and funeral.
Last month Nujoma’s personal physician, Tshali Ithete, said Nujoma was in good health after being discharged from hospital a week prior.
Speculation was rife at the time that Nujoma was not doing well.
However, Ithete said the founding president was recuperating at home.
“The founding president, Sam Nujoma, is feeling well at his residence. He was discharged from the hospital a week ago, and is recuperating well at home,” Ithete said at the time.
Nujoma turned 95 on 12 May.
In the meantime, the Sam Nujoma Foundation urged Namibians to demonstrate unity on his birthday.
“The Sam Nujoma Foundation wishes to request the Namibian nation to engage in an act of selfless service through the demonstration of unity, resilience, self-reliance and capacity-building efforts across the nation on 12 May,” the foundation said in a statement.
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