Namibia’s President Hage Geingob, aged 82, has passed away after a battle with cancer, leaving the nation in mourning. The presidency made the somber announcement, revealing that Geingob had succumbed to the disease in the early hours of Sunday. His demise comes just weeks after a cancer diagnosis that led him to seek treatment in the United States.
Hage Geingob, a prominent political figure in Namibia, has been at the helm of this sparsely populated, arid southern African country since 2015. He gained international recognition when he bravely announced his victory over prostate cancer, highlighting his resilience and determination.
In the wake of President Geingob’s passing, Vice President Nangolo Mbumba will assume leadership responsibilities in Namibia. This transition of power comes at a crucial time for the nation, known for its mining industry, which is rich in both diamonds and lithium, a vital component in electric car batteries. Namibia is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections later this year, which will shape the country’s future trajectory.
The presidency, in a social media post on platform X, did not provide specific details about the cause of President Geingob’s death. However, it was revealed last month that he had undergone a two-day novel cancer treatment in the United States following a regular medical check-up.
Born in 1941, Hage Geingob was a prominent political figure long before Namibia gained independence from white minority rule under South Africa in 1990. He played a pivotal role in drafting Namibia’s constitution and subsequently became the nation’s first prime minister upon independence, a role he held until 2002.
During his tenure, Geingob experienced the complex challenges of post-independence nation-building, particularly the need to address the disparities in wealth that persisted in Namibia. He described this task as unprecedented, noting that “there were no textbooks to prepare us for accomplishing the task of development and shared prosperity after independence.” His vision was to build a Namibia where the chains of past injustices could be broken.
In 2007, President Geingob assumed the position of vice president within the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), the ruling party that he had actively supported during the struggle for independence when Namibia was still known as South West Africa. SWAPO has retained its political dominance in Namibia since the nation’s independence, even though it grapples with significant economic disparities.
Namibia, a former German colony, holds the status of an upper-middle-income country, yet it faces substantial income inequality. President Geingob acknowledged the challenge, stating in a 2018 speech, “We needed to build a Namibia in which the chains of the injustices of the past would be broken.”
Geingob’s political career saw him serve as the Minister of Trade and Industry before reclaiming the position of prime minister in 2012. He secured a resounding victory in the 2014 election, securing 87% of the vote. However, his leadership faced a more substantial challenge in a subsequent poll in November 2019, where he narrowly avoided a runoff with just over half of the votes.
The 2019 election took place in the wake of a government bribery scandal that rocked Namibia. Allegations emerged of government officials awarding lucrative horse mackerel quotas to Iceland’s largest fishing company, Samherji, in exchange for kickbacks. Local media reports exposed this corruption, leading to the resignation of two ministers.
President Geingob’s tenure was also marked by discussions surrounding wealth distribution, particularly the concentration of wealth in the hands of the white minority. He addressed these concerns during a virtual session organized by the international organization Horasis, stating, “Distribution is an issue, but how do we do it? We have a racial issue here—a historical racial divide. Now you say we must grab it from the whites and give it to the blacks; it’s not going to work.”
His comments came in the context of a policy proposal that would have mandated white-owned businesses to sell a 25% stake to black Namibians. The government eventually rescinded this policy as unworkable.
President Hage Geingob passed away at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek, where he was receiving medical treatment from his dedicated medical team. As Namibia mourns the loss of a significant leader, the nation looks toward a future shaped by Vice President Nangolo Mbumba as they prepare for upcoming elections later this year.
