The unexpected death of Namibian President Hage Geingob will not leave a leadership vacuum in the country, as the Constitution clearly stipulates succession when the president becomes incapacitated or dies.

The president was in his second and last term of office, and Namibians were preparing to go to the polls for the Presidential and National elections.

The Constitution clearly stipulates the succession plan once a vacancy occurs.

Now that the president has died less than one year before the elections, Article 34 provides that the Vice President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and a person appointed by the Cabinet will act as President in that order.

This is provided in the Third Amendment of the Constitution of 2014.

The same article also stipulates that presidential elections be held within 90 days of the death of the president.

The acting president, Nangolo Mbumba, announcing the death of the president, said that the Cabinet will meet shortly to deliberate on the way forward.

The succession plan as provided by Article 34 leaves no room for a constitutional crisis.

Article 27 of the Constitution also stipulates that the Executive Power of the country rests with the President and the Cabinet.