Namibia has a new president, Nangolo Mbumba, who assumed the position just hours after announcing the death of his predecessor, Hage Geingob, 82, who passed away while receiving medical treatment in Windhoek, the capital. Geingob, a veteran of Namibia’s independence struggle, had been battling cancer, which he made public last month.
Mbumba, who described Geingob as a “liberation icon,” has been sworn in as the new president and will serve until elections later this year. Leaders from around the world have expressed condolences, praising Geingob’s efforts in securing Namibia’s freedom. Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa, described him as “a towering veteran of Namibia’s liberation from colonialism and apartheid.” Geingob, a long-serving member of the Swapo party, spent 27 years in exile before returning to Namibia in 1989, a year before independence.
He faced challenges during his presidency, including economic stagnation, high unemployment, and corruption scandals. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the vice-president, has been appointed as the presidential candidate for November’s elections and would become Namibia’s first female president if elected.
