Nujoma was seen as the last of a generation of African figures who headed anti-colonial movements and fought for freedom. "Therefore his departure signals an end of an era, a founding father of Africa," President Mbumba said in an earlier speech at a national memorial service on Friday.

African leaders and residents of Namibia gathered on Saturday (March 1) to bury the country's "founding father" Sam Nujoma. At the funeral, current President Nangolo Mbumba spoke of Nujoma's leadership in challenging colonialism and a military occupation by South Africa's racist white minority government.

Mourners chat at the end of a memorial service of Sam Nujoma, who became Namibia's first democratically elected president, at the Independence stadium, before his burial tomorrow at Namibia's National Heroes Acre,