- 1929: Born in Ongandjera, Namibia
- 1935 left school at age 16 to become a railway dining-car steward.Â
- 1950s: Helped found the Ovamboland People’s Organization, the precursor to the South-West African People’s Organization (SWAPO)
- 1959: Founded SWAPO and became its president
- 1960: He went into exile in 1960 and was named president of SWAPO after it was founded on April 19 of that year.
- 1966: After several years of fruitlessly petitioning the United Nations to compel South Africa to release control of South West Africa, commanded the PLAN to on an armed struggle in 1966.Â
- 1973: The UN General Assembly recognized SWAPO as the sole legitimate representative of the Namibian people, and in 1978 the Security Council adopted Resolution 435
- 1988: South Africa recognized Namibia’s right to independence
- 1989: Nujoma returned to Namibia after nearly 30 years in exile
- 1990: SWAPO won Namibia’s first democratic election, and Nujoma was sworn in as president on March 21
- 1994: Nujoma was re-elected as president of NamibiaÂ
- 1999: Nujoma was re-elected as president of NamibiaÂ
- 2005: Nujoma stepped down as president, allowing for a peaceful transfer of power to Hifikepunye PohambaÂ
- 2007: Nujoma resigned as president of SWAPO
- 2025: Nujoma died in Windhoek on 8 FebruaryÂ
