PRESIDENT Hage Geingob said the late Swapo war veteran and former commissioner of refugees, Nkrumah Mushelenga, has left behind "a legacy worth emulating as we move forward in building our country to make it a better place for all".

Mushelenga died on Wednesday morning in Windhoek.

"I have learned with sadness about the passing of an outstanding freedom fighter and senior civil servant, comrade Nkrumah Mushelenga. Comrade Mushelenga committed himself at a very young age to fight for the freedom of the Namibian people, which he helped achieve in 1990," Geingob said in a statement on Sunday.

He said that through his steadfast commitment to the vulnerable, "Mushelenga dedicated many years of his professional career to the upliftment of the most vulnerable communities among us, the refugees".

"As a refugee and freedom fighter, he had a particular understanding of their special needs and their plight and he helped, as commissioner for refugees, the Namibian government greatly in strengthening its policies towards refugees.

"Although we are deeply saddened and devastated by the departure of comrade Nkrumah Mushelenga from this earth, we should be consoled by the illustrious legacy of dedication and steadfastness he left behind," Geingob said.

He extended "heartfelt condolences to the children and the entire bereaved family".

"May the soul of comrade Nkrumah Mushelenga rest in eternal peace," Geingob added.