President Hage Geingob, Namibia‘s third president, died on February 4 and was buried on Sunday, February 25 at Heroes’ Acre on the outskirts of Windhoek.
Geingob died shortly after his cancer diagnosis was made public on January 17th. The late president was survived by his wife, Monica Geingos, eight children, two siblings, and grandchildren.
Geingos claimed her husband was sincere, and it was this sincerity that drew people to him.
“Hage connected easily to people. You were born a peasant and died a president,” Geingos said during his final memorial service on Saturday.
Geingob’s funeral was attended by Namibians from all walks of life, representatives from 27 countries, and 18 heads of state, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Angolan President João Lourenço, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles III, represented the British royal family, while Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Finland’s president Sauli Niinistö, and Qatari president Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani were also there.
Pallbearers for Geingob included former agriculture minister Alpheus Naruseb, deputy prime minister John Mutorwa, former defence chief Martin Shalli, Geingob’s eldest son Mangaliso Fernandez Geingob, official opposition leader McHenry Venaani, and Swapo veteran Ben Amathila.
The Heroes’ Acre is a historic site in Namibia that serves as the final resting place for persons designated as heroes. The site contains nine symbolic tombs (mausoleums) for leaders of state, one of which is now held by Geingob.
The ‘Unknown Soldier’ statue at the location will keep watch over Geingob’s tomb.