Namibian President Hage Geingob passes away at 82 following cancer diagnosis

Namibia's President Hage Geingob, aged 82, passed away early on Sunday at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek after a recent cancer diagnosis, according to a statement from the presidency. 

Geingob had been at the helm of Namibia since 2015 and had previously battled prostate cancer, surviving the illness.

The presidency's announcement did not specify the exact cause of death, but it comes weeks after Geingob's cancer diagnosis, prompting a trip to the United States for a novel treatment targeting cancerous cells.

Born in 1941, Hage Geingob played a pivotal role in Namibian politics even before the country gained independence from South Africa in 1990. He chaired the committee responsible for drafting Namibia's constitution and went on to become the nation's first prime minister at independence. He held the position until 2002.

Geingob's political journey continued as he joined the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) and became vice president in 2007. SWAPO has maintained political dominance in Namibia since its independence, although the country faces significant economic disparities despite being classified as an upper middle-income nation.

In his leadership roles, Geingob prioritized the challenges of development and shared prosperity in post-independence Namibia. Despite winning the 2014 election with an 87 percent majority, he faced a more closely contested poll in November 2019, narrowly avoiding a runoff.

During his tenure, Namibia confronted a government bribery scandal involving alleged kickbacks for fishing quotas. The resulting public outcry led to the resignation of two ministers. 

President Geingob's death marks the end of an era for Namibia, and Vice President Nangolo Mbumba will assume leadership until the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of the year.