Namibian President Hage Geingob has died at the age of 82 at a hospital in the capital Windhoek, where he was receiving medical treatment.
According to the BBC, this is contained in a statement from the acting President Nangolo Mbumba.
Geingob passed away just after midnight, around 12:04 a.m. ET on Sunday, at Lady Pohamba Hospital with his wife Monica Geingos and his children by his side, the statement said, which was posted on the presidency’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Geingob was receiving treatment at the hospital after revealing in January he had been diagnosed with cancer.
He had returned last Wednesday from a trip to the United States, where he was undergoing a two-day treatment as part of a medical trial, according to his office.
“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.
Mbumba appealed to the nation to “remain calm and collected” while the government makes state arrangements and preparations, saying further details will be announced at a later date.
He said cabinet had convened “with immediate effect in order to make the necessary state arrangements in this regard.”
Geingob had served as president since 2015 and was currently on his second term.
He also served as the country’s first prime minister, a position he held from 1990 to 2002 under former President Sam Nujoma, after Namibia gained independence from South Africa.
