Indian Parliament mourns passing away of Namibian President Geingob

"Both Houses of Parliament today expressed condolences on the passing away of Dr. Hage G Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia. A dear friend of India, his contribution to a deeper India-Namibia and India-Africa relationship will always be remembered," said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a post on X.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced the passing of Geingob, describing him as a distinguished Namibian freedom fighter, politician, and dedicated leader. Birla highlighted Geingob's pivotal roles as the President of the Constituent Assembly, the first Prime Minister of independent Namibia, and the third President of the country.

"Hage G Geingob was a Namibian freedom fighter, politician, and President of the Constituent Assembly and the first Prime Minister of independent Namibia and the third President of the country. He dedicated his entire life to the welfare of his countrymen and the development of his country," he said.

Emphasising President Geingob's significant contributions to the enduring friendship between Namibia and India, Speaker Birla recalled his visits to India in 1900 and 2015. Notably, Birla praised Geingob's commendable role in the project to relocate eight cheetahs from Namibia to India in September 2022.

"President Geingob also had very friendly relations with India, he also visited India in the year 1900 and in the year 2015. President Geingob's role in the project to relocate eight cheetahs from Namibia to India in September 2022 was also highly commendable," he added.

President Geingob passed away on February 4, 2024, at the age of 82, in the capital of Namibia. The Lok Sabha gathering expressed deep condolences for the late leader, extending sympathies to his family. Speaker Birla also conveyed solidarity from the Indian government to the citizens of Namibia.

As a mark of respect, the parliamentary gathering observed a moment of silence in honour of the late President Hage G Geingob.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also expressed condolences on the death of Namibia's late President.

The Chairman shared his feelings while addressing the members earlier when the House assembled for the day.

Dhankhar mentioned that the Namibian President dedicated his entire life to the welfare of his people and the development of his country. "President Geingob was a friend of India. President Geingob's role in facilitating the relocation of eight Namibian Cheetahs to India in September 2022 is greatly admired."

On behalf of this House, the Chairman said, "We express our "deepest condolences to the government and the people of Namibia. We share our sympathies with his family, friends and admirers. "

Geingob, 82, died in the hospital early on Sunday, weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer. Geingob had been in charge of the thinly populated and mostly arid southern African country since 2015, the year he announced he had survived prostate cancer.

Born in 1941, Geingob has been a prominent politician since before Namibia achieved independence from white minority-ruled South Africa in 1990. He chaired the body that drafted Namibia's constitution, then became its first prime minister at independence on March 21 of that year, a position he retained until 2002.

In 2007, Geingob became Vice President of the governing South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), which he had joined as an agitator for independence when Namibia was still known as South West Africa.

Geingob served as trade and industry minister before becoming prime minister again in 2012. He won the 2014 election with 87 per cent of the vote but only narrowly avoided a runoff with a little more than half the votes in a subsequent poll in November 2019. (ANI)