Allexer Namundjembo
Nepando Amupanda, who served as the bodyguard of Namibia’s Founding President, Sam Nujoma, from 1982 until 2005, has reflected on the weight of his responsibility in ensuring the former head of state’s safety during a critical period in the country’s history.
Amupanda discussed his experiences in an interview with NBC on Wednesday, saying Nujoma entrusted him with more than just her physical protection.
He was responsible for keeping Nujoma’s belongings organised and meeting his daily needs.
“I was trusted to make sure that all his belongings were well organised and that he remained safe. I was also tasked with ensuring that the food President Nujoma ate was aligned with his health and kept him in good condition,” Amupanda said.
Beyond logistics, he was also responsible for overseeing everything happening around Nujoma.
“During the struggle, when Nujoma would visit soldiers, I was supposed to be there and assess the situation. I was also tasked with overseeing his schedule and providing feedback on how the journey should unfold,” Amupanda said.
For Nujoma to be well-informed about his plans and expectations, it was Amupanda’s responsibility to brief the President.
“Even if we were travelling or walking with him, I was the one who carried his documents and had his belongings. He would ask me about anything he was planning to do since I was the one who should know. I was given a lot of responsibilities, and anything coming to him, including documents, had to pass through me first,” Amupanda explained.
Amupanda, who is visible standing behind Nujoma in the iconic 1990 photograph of the President’s swearing-in ceremony, reflected on the dangers associated with his job.
He said that, while many heads of state have been assassinated around the world, Nujoma was kept safe thanks to their vigilance.
“We are trained. Even if it’s just a document being hand-delivered to the President, it should never go directly to him. We must first assess it to ensure it poses no threat. From Luanda to Namibia, he couldn’t touch documents I hadn’t inspected. I had to make sure my soldiers had thoroughly checked everything. Some documents could carry poison, so we had to be certain that he was safe,” Amupanda added.
Looking back on his years of service, he expressed pride in his former colleagues who worked alongside him to protect the founding president.
“I am proud of my former colleagues. We fought and faced many situations that could have cost Nujoma his life. Many of you have heard about people who were sent to kill Nujoma, and they were arrested. The world was in turmoil, but we thank God for guiding us. Mercenaries were sent to kill our leaders, but we managed to protect Nujoma until his old age. We must be thankful. Nujoma left us united, even with those who opposed us,” Amupanda concluded.
