The Southern African region was thrown into mourning on Sunday, February 4 after the death of Namibia’s President Hage Geingob, who died while receiving treatment at a hospital in the nation’s capital, Windhoek.
His Vice President Nangolo Mbumba has been sworn in as interim leader until the presidential elections scheduled for later this year.
Six Uncommon Facts about Hage Geingob
Hage Geingob was born in August 1941 (82 years).
He was an anti-apartheid activist, who also spearheaded the movement in South Africa to eradicate the racism that prevented black people from holding political and economic power.
Hage Geingob returned to Namibia in 1989 after living in exile for 27 years between Botswana, USA, and the United Kingdom.
The Namibian leader was the country’s longest-serving prime minister for 12 years from 1990 to 2002, then later contested for president in 2014.
Hage Geingob served as Namibia’s third president until his demise on Sunday morning, February 4, 2024. He served two tenures; his first term in 2015 and his second term which started in 2020.
Hage Geingob was diagnosed with cancer after cancerous cells were detected in a biopsy exam but disclosed it to the public in January.
He was taken to the United States of America for a two-day treatment therapy until he was flown back on January 31. Mbumba acted as president during his absence.