SONJA SMITH

Skulls of people from the Ovaherero and Nama tribes, which were taken by German colonial forces more than a century ago for racial experiments, are returned to Namibian tribal leaders during a ceremony on Sept. 29, 2011, in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
Namibia holds its first genocide remembrance day to mark mass killings by colonial ruler Germany
Namibia has marked the mass killings of Indigenous people by former colonial ruler Germany in the early 20th century with its first genocide remembrance day.
 
Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addresses a news conference in Windhoek, Namibia, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich, file)
Namibia will offer free university education starting in 2026
New Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced that her government will introduce free education at state universities and technical colleges starting next year. Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as Namibia’s first female leader last month.
 
Namibian president elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, of the ruling SWAPO Party, at a news conference in Windhoek, Namibia, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 after the election results were made official. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich, File)
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is sworn in as Namibia’s first female leader
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been sworn in as Namibia’s first female president. She reaches the highest office in her land nearly 60 years after she joined the liberation movement fighting for independence from apartheid South Africa.
 
Pall-bearers carry the casket containing the remains of Namibia's founding president Sam Nujoma during his state funeral at Heroes' Acre in Windhoek, Namibia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich)
Namibian founding president Sam Nujoma is laid to rest and praised as the last African liberator
Sam Nujoma, Namibia’s founding president who steered the country to freedom from apartheid South Africa, has been laid to rest in the country’s Heroes Acre cemetery following a state funeral attended by African leaders and foreign dignitaries.
 
Namibian court overturns and declares unconstitutional a law criminalizing gay sex between men
A law in Namibia criminalizing gay sex between men has been overturned and declared unconstitutional and illegal by a court, in a victory for LGBTQ campaigners in the southern African nation.
 
Mourners follow the flag-draped coffin of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob during his funeral service in Windhoek, Namibia, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Esther Mbathera)
Namibian President Hage Geingob laid to rest at Heroes’ Acre cemetery after state funeral
Namibian President Hage Geingob has been laid to rest in the country’s Heroes’ Acre cemetery following a state funeral attended by African leaders, the German president and Princess Anne, the sister of Britain’s King Charles III.
 
Namibia’s ruling party faces unexpectedly challenging vote
Namibia votes Wednesday in an election that promises to be far removed from the overwhelming victories enjoyed by former liberation movement SWAPO since independence in 1990.