Eighty-two-year-old Dr. Nangolo Mbumba has been sworn in as the fourth President.
Mbumba is Namibia’s former Vice President and has held the position since 2018.
He was sworn in on Sunday by Chief Justice Peter Shivute in Windhoek, the country’s capital.
Born on August 15, 1941, Mbumba is a member of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO). He headed several Namibian ministries: Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (1993–1996), Finance (1996–2003), Information and Broadcasting (2003–2005) Education (2005–2010) and Safety and Security (2010–2012).
From 2012 to 2017, he was the secretary-general of SWAPO.
This online medium earlier reported that the Namibian government had announced that President Geingob died on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at Lady Pohamba Hospital, a private hospital in Windhoek.
He died at 82 weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer.
The former Acting President, Mbumba, who announced the death of the late President on Sunday, said the nation had lost its pillar and the chief architect of its constitution.
According to him, the President died despite the best efforts of his medical team to ensure his recovery.
Mbumba said the President’s wife, Monica Geingos and his children were by his side when he passed on.
In his condolence message on Sunday, Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu described the late Namibian President as a veteran in the struggle for democracy, a proponent of good governance and an advocate for economic, social and political solidarity among African peoples.
President Tinubu wrote, “On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I extend our deepest condolences to the government and people of Namibia over the passing of His Excellency, President Hage Geingob.
“I mourn the painful loss of a veteran in the struggle for democracy, a proponent of good governance, and an advocate for economic, social, and political solidarity among African peoples.
“This tragedy comes at a time when Africa is in dire need of more visionary leaders who believe in our common destiny and who can strengthen the bonds across our borders and spread the tendrils of cooperation in all fields of human endeavour.
As Namibia mourns, I want to assure that the Republic that my thoughts and prayers, and indeed those of all Namibians, are with you.”
