Namibia's President Hage Geingob passed away on Sunday at the age of 82, as announced by his office.
Geingob, in his second term as president and the country's first prime minister post-independence, disclosed his battle with cancer last month.
His recent actions included supporting South Africa's complaint against Israel under the Genocide Convention and condemning Germany, Namibia's former colonial ruler, for rejecting the case.
Acting president Nangolo Mbumba expressed deep sorrow in a statement, revealing that Geingob was surrounded by his wife, Madame Monica Geingos, and children at the time of his passing.
A biopsy following a routine check-up in January had detected cancerous cells. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa praised Geingob's leadership, highlighting his role in Namibia's liberation from colonialism and apartheid and his support for South Africa's freedom.
Kenyan President William Ruto commended Geingob's commitment to a unified Africa and global visibility.
Geingob, elected president in 2014, was Namibia's longest-serving prime minister and third president, undergoing brain surgery in 2013 and an aortic operation in 2023.
Until his demise, Geingob received treatment at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek. Acting President Mbumba urged the nation to remain calm, emphasising Geingob's contributions as a liberation icon and constitutional architect. The cabinet would convene immediately to address the necessary state arrangements.
Born in northern Namibia in 1941, Geingob, outside the Ovambo ethnic group, played a pivotal role in anti-apartheid activism, representing the SWAPO liberation movement at the UN in 1964.
After spending nearly three decades abroad, he returned to Namibia in 1989 to lead SWAPO's election campaign in the now-independent nation.
As the nation mourns Geingob's passing, Namibia is set to hold presidential and national assembly elections later in the year.
