EXILED SWAPO LEADER RETURNS TO NAMBIA

The president of the South West Africa People's Organization, Sam Nujoma, ended three decades of exile Thursday with his return to Namibia to take the helm of the nationalist movement Mr. Nujoma arrived just one day ahead of the deadline to register for a United Nations-supervised election to choose an assembly that will work out a blueprint for the country's independence from South Africa next April.

Tens of thousands gave the SWAPO leader a tumultuous welcome yesterday, but this was overshadowed by the assassination Tuesday of a prominent white member of Nujoma's movement, Anton Lubowski.

Police Inspector Kierie du Rand said Thursday that an Irish citizen had been arrested in connection with the killing of Mr. Lubowski. The suspect reportedly came to Namibia from Cape Town, South Africa.

A shadowy group of white extremists known as the Wit Wolwe (White Wolves) claimed responsibility for the killing in a telephone call to the Namibian, a pro-SWAPO newspaper.