Parliament condoles Namibian President Hage Geingob’s demise: EAM Jaishankar

New Delhi [India], February 5 (ANI): External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Monday condoled the demise of Namibian President Hage Geingob and stated that both houses of Parliament expressed condolences on the passing away of the African country’s third president since it gained independence in 1990.

“Both Houses of Parliament today expressed condolences on the passing away of Dr. Hage G Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia,” Jaishankar wrote on ‘X’.

Jaishankar said the Namibian President was a dear friend to India, whose contribution to building a deeper India-Namibia, India-Africa relationship will always be remembered.

“A dear friend of India, his contribution to a deeper India-Namibia and India-Africa relationship will always be remembered,” Jaishankar said.

Geingob passed away at the age of 82, a month after it was announced he would undergo cancer treatment, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

According to the report, the Namibian President died on Sunday at Lady Pohamba Hospital in the capital Windhoek with his wife and his children at his side, acting president Nangolo Mbumba said in a statement posted on Geingob’s official Facebook page.

“The Namibian nation has lost a distinguished servant of the people, a liberation struggle icon, the chief architect of our Constitution, and the pillar of the Namibian house,” Mbumba said.

“At this moment of deepest sorrow, I appeal to the nation to remain calm and collected while the government attends to all necessary state arrangements, preparations and other protocols. Further announcements in this regard will be made,” the acting President added.

According to Al Jazeera, Geingob’s office announced last month that the African leader had begun treatment following the discovery of ‘cancerous cells’ during a routine colonoscopy and a gastroscopy.

His office said a few days later he would be travelling to the United States for medical care and would return to Namibia in February. Geingob had a history of health problems that preceded his election as Namibia’s third president in 2014.

He underwent an aortic operation last year in neighbouring South Africa and in 2014, he revealed that he had survived prostate cancer.

Namibia, a former German colony that achieved independence from South Africa in 1990, is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in November.