Namibia is grieving the loss of President Hage Gottfried Geingob, who passed away early on Sunday at the age of 82. The presidency confirmed the news, revealing that Geingob succumbed to illness weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. The leader had governed Namibia, a sparsely populated southern African nation with significant mineral resources, since 2015.
Vice President Nangolo Mbumba will assume leadership until the scheduled presidential and parliamentary elections later this year. While the presidency did not disclose the cause of death, it was revealed last month that Geingob had sought treatment in the United States for cancerous cells following a routine medical check-up.
Born in 1941, Geingob was a prominent political figure well before Namibia gained independence from South African minority rule in 1990. He chaired the constitutional drafting body and served as the first prime minister after independence. Geingob’s political journey included roles as vice president of the governing South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) and, later, trade and industry minister.
Despite Swapo’s uninterrupted rule since independence, Namibia faced challenges, including economic disparities. Geingob acknowledged these challenges, expressing the need to break the chains of past injustices and build a more equitable nation. He won the 2014 election with a significant majority but faced a runoff risk in the 2019 poll.
During his tenure, Namibia confronted issues such as a government bribery scandal involving the fishing industry, resulting in the resignation of two ministers. Geingob also addressed the persistent issue of wealth concentration among the white minority, emphasizing the complexity of redistributive policies.
President Hage Geingob passed away at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek, where he was under medical care. Namibia now enters a period of mourning as the nation reflects on the legacy of a leader who played a pivotal role in shaping its post-independence trajectory.