Hage Geingob, the president of Namibia, passes away at 82

According to a statement released on the presidency's X, formerly known as Twitter, Geingob passed away at Lady Pohamba Hospital on Sunday soon after midnight, or at 12:04 a.m. ET, with his wife Monica Geingos and his children by his side.

Following his announcement in January that he had been diagnosed with cancer, Geingob was undergoing treatment at the hospital. According to his office, he had returned last Wednesday from a trip to the United States, where he was receiving a two-day treatment as a part of a medical trial.

“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.

Geingob was in his second term as president, having taken office in 2015. Following Namibia's independence from South Africa, he also held the office of first prime minister under former President Sam Nujoma from 1990 until 2002.