The President of Namibia, Hage Geingob, aged 82, has passed away in a hospital early on Sunday.
His death was announced by the presidency via a social media post on Sunday earlier this morning.
This comes weeks after his cancer diagnosis, disclosed last month after a medical check-up. Geingob, in office since 2015, had previously survived prostate cancer.
An excerpt of the statement on X reads thus,
- “Fellow Namibians, It is with utmost sadness and regret that I inform you that our beloved Dr. Hage G. Geingob, the President of the Republic of Namibia has passed on today, Sunday 4 February 2024 at around 00h04 at Lady Pohamba Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment from his medical team.
- At his side, was his dear wife Madame Monica Geingos and his children. His medical team, as I informed the nation only yesterday has been trying its utmost best to ensure that our President recovers. Regrettably, notwithstanding the team’s spirited effort to save his life, sadly, fellow Namibians, President Geingob passed on. “
President Hage G. Geingob of Namibia, was a prominent figure in a struggle for independence from apartheid-era South Africa who later became the country’s first prime minister and a long-serving head of state.
Vice President Nangolo Mbumba assumes leadership in Namibia, a nation rich in mining resources such as diamonds and lithium, until year-end elections.
Background
Born in 1941, Geingob played a key role in Namibia’s pre-independence politics, chairing the constitution-drafting body and serving as its first prime minister until 2002. As a SWAPO member, he contributed to the country’s development post-independence, emphasizing breaking the chains of past injustices.
Geingob, also a trade and industry minister, won the 2014 election with 87% but narrowly avoided a runoff in 2019. His tenure saw challenges, including a bribery scandal implicating officials in granting fishing quotas. He acknowledged Namibia’s wealth disparity, addressing the historical racial divide.
Geingob’s passing occurred at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek, where he received medical treatment. The presidency’s announcement marks the end of an era for Namibia, reflecting on Geingob’s contributions and the challenges faced during his leadership.
