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Sunday May 12, 2024

Namibia’s late president Geingob buried

Geingob, 82, Namibia’s two-time prime minister and third president since its independence from minority-ruled South Africa in 1990

By Reuters
February 26, 2024
Namibia’s late president Hage Geingob can be seen in this image. — AFP/File
 Namibia’s late president Hage Geingob can be seen in this image. — AFP/File

WINDHOEK: Namibia’s late president Hage Geingob, who died in hospital on Feb 4, weeks after being diagnosed with cancer, was buried at the Heroes Acre on Sunday with thousands of mourners, including 25 heads of state and former presidents in attendance.

The burial was on the outskirts of Windhoek following 20 days of mourning.Soldiers gave Geingob a 21-gun salute while K-8 fighter jets flew past.

Geingob, 82, Namibia’s two-time prime minister and third president since its independence from minority-ruled South Africa in 1990, has been in charge of the sparsely populated and mostly arid southern African nation since 2015.He was serving his final year in office.

He held several senior positions in government and in his party, South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO), including chairing the body that drafted Namibia’s constitution, considered a model of good governance and the rule of law.