Hifikepunye Pohamba, who takes over as Namibian president today, has spent most of his country?s freedom struggle and all of its independence in the shadow of outgoing President Sam Nujoma. Many Namibians suspect he may remain there.

A founding member of the ruling SWAPO party in 1960 and Nujoma?s close confidant since the heyday of the liberation struggle, Pohamba is believed not to have nursed presidential ambitions until Nujoma hand-picked him to become the party?s vice president in 2002. As late as last year, Pohamba is said to have still been eyeing a quieter life as a farmer.

As lands minister, Pohamba has pledged to accelerate redistribution of white-owned land to landless blacks through expropriation, a policy backed by Nujoma. But no land has yet been seized. Observers say the expropriation threat is designed to prompt voluntary sales.

Like Nujoma and around half Namibia?s population of 1.9 million, Pohamba hails from the Owambo people.?I don?t have personal successes. My life has been one of collectiveness with others,? a government-owned newspaper quoted him as saying. Some say he could face a tougher ride than Nujoma simply because he lacks the status of the man who brought freedom.

<B>Surihe Gaomas</B>