Ruto in Namibia for President Hage Geingob’s sendoff

President William Ruto arrived in Namibia on Saturday to join fellow heads of state in Africa for the sendoff of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob.

Ruto is among thousands of guests attending Geingob's Memorial Service, which will be held at the Independence Stadium.

Several Heads of State and government officials are expected to attend the memorial and funeral services of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob in Windhoek this weekend.

Geingob passed away on February 4, weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer. He was 82 years old.

Paying tribute to Geingob, former Mozambique's President Joaquim Chissano says the Namibian President played a big role in preparing the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) to govern the country.

Diplomats gathered at the University of South Africa (UNISA) to pay tribute to a Southern African Development Community (SADC) leader who contributed to the liberation of the region.

Egyptian ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed El Fadly says Geingob publicly defended the people of Palestine, who are under attack from the Israeli government.

"In North Africa and beyond, we will also remember the strength and drive by which President Geingob defended the Palestinian cause and struggle as a truly global citizen, saying just one month ago no peace-loving human being can ignore the carnage waged against Palestinians in Gaza."

His commitment to equality and freedom was lauded. Namibia recently supported South Africa's case against Israel.

"President Geingob was an ardent and militant African nationalist. But equally so, he was a persuasive Pan-Africanist. He was fully conscious that individuals make history but do not do so in circumstances of their own choice. They do it in the circumstances given and transmitted from the past," Alvin Botes, International Relations and Co-operation Deputy Minister, explains.

Geingob will be laid to rest on Sunday in Windhoek, Namibia. His casket was guarded by the guard of honour, NDF vehicles, and helicopters, along with law-enforcement agencies, through Windhoek for a final goodbye.

A total of 18 heads of state will be present at the funeral, including Ruto, Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Finnish president Sauli Niinistö, South African Development Community leaders including South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Thabo Mbeki, Angola's João Lourenço, Botswana's Mokgweetsi Masisi and Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, among others.

In addition, 27 countries sent delegations, including the United States of America's Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, U.S. Ambassador Randy Berry, China's special envoy and vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Jiang Zuojun, and a delegation from Algeria led by the president of the People's National Assembly of Algeria Brahim Boughali.

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His children and wife, Madame Monica Geingos, were present when he passed away.

Geingob returned from the United States of America on January 31, 2024, following a two-day novel treatment for cancerous cells. He had courageously disclosed his diagnosis to the public just a month ago.

He got into office in 2015; Geingob was in his second and final term, serving as the chief architect of Namibia's constitution and a pivotal figure in the liberation struggle.