Acting President Nangolo Mbumba released a statement stating that Namibian President Hage Geingob, who was 82 years old, passed away at the age of 82 in a Windhoek hospital while undergoing medical treatment.
According to a statement released on the presidency’s X, formerly known as Twitter, Geingob passed away at Lady Pohamba Hospital on Sunday just after midnight, or around 12:04 a.m. ET, with his wife Monica Geingos and his children by his side.
Following his announcement in January that he had been diagnosed with cancer, Geingob was undergoing treatment at the hospital. According to his office, he had returned last Wednesday from a trip to the United States, where he was receiving a two-day treatment as a part of a medical trial.
“His medical team, as I informed the nation only yesterday, has been trying its utmost best to ensure that our president recovers. Regrettably, notwithstanding the team’s spirited effort to save his life, sadly, fellow Namibians, President Geingob passed on,” Mbumba said.
While the government makes state arrangements and preparations, Mbumba urged the people to “remain calm and collected,” stating that more information will be released later.
“With immediate effect in order to make the necessary state arrangements in this regard,” he said, the cabinet has met.
Geingob was in his second term as president, having taken office in 2015. Following Namibia’s independence from South Africa, he also held the office of first prime minister under former President Sam Nujoma from 1990 to 2002.
