Namibia's President, Hage Geingob, loses battle to cancer

Namibia's President, Hage Geingob, died in the early hours of Sunday, in a hospital in Windhoek.

Geingob, who was serving his second term as president, revealed in December 2023, that he was receiving treatment for cancer.

PHOTO: X - @hagegeingob

‘’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,’’ said Acting president Nangolo Mbumba in a statement

First elected president in 2014, Geingob was Namibia's longest serving prime minister and third president.

Mbumba says the country has lost a ‘’distinguished servant of the people, a liberation struggle icon, the chief architect of our constitution and the pillar of the Namibian house.’’

The acting president says its cabinet will convene with immediate effect in order to make the necessary state arrangements in this regard.

Namibia is to hold presidential and national assembly elections towards the end of the year.

Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphiosa said he is deeply saddened by the passing.

“I am deeply saddened at this time as I reflect on the privilege I had as recently as October 2023 to be hosted by President Geingob, Madame Geingos and the Cabinet on a Working Visit to Namibia. During the visit, we committed our two countries to even closer partnership, inspired in great measure by President Geingob’s passionate conviction about our shared future as nations and greater opportunities and prosperity for citizens on both sides of the Orange River.’’

“President Geingob was a towering veteran of Namibia’s liberation from colonialism and apartheid. He was also greatly influential in the solidarity that the people of Namibia extended to the people of South Africa so that we could be free today.''

PHOTO: X - @CyrilRamaphosa

“We are therefore filled with appreciation and sadness at the passing of a comrade in struggle and a close partner in our democratic dispensation. May his soul rest in peace,’’ said The Presidency in a statement.

 

Done By: Mitchum George