The president of Namibia Hage Geingob has died at the age of 82.
Geingob died early on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at the Lady Pohamba Hospital in the capital Windhoek with his wife and his children at his side.
The country’s acting president Nangolo Mbumba confirmed the development in a statement posted on Geingob’s official Facebook page.
“The Namibian nation 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,” Mbumba said.
“At this moment of deepest sorrow, I appeal to the nation to remain calm and collected while the Government attends to all necessary state arrangements, preparations, and other protocols. Further announcements in this regard will be made.”
Geingob’s office announced last month that he had begun treatment following the discovery of “cancerous cells” during a routine colonoscopy and gastroscopy.
The announcement did not provide details of the African leader’s diagnosis or prognosis but said he would continue to carry out his presidential duties.
Geingob’s office later announced that he would travel to the United States for medical care and would return to Namibia on February 2.
Born in 1941, Geingob was a prominent politician since before Namibia achieved independence from white minority-ruled South Africa in 1990.
He chaired the body that drafted Namibia’s constitution, then became its first prime minister at independence on March 21 of that year, a position he retained until 2002.
Geingob served as trade and industry minister before becoming prime minister again in 2012.
He was first elected as the country’s president in 2014 with 87% of the vote but only narrowly avoided a runoff with a little more than half the votes in a subsequent poll in November 2019.
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