President Nangolo Mbumba is hopeful that the message of unity, inclusivity and shared prosperity as championed by the late President Hage Geingob will continue to resonate as Namibians put in the hard work to build a better Namibia.
President Mbumba was speaking during the first anniversary of the death of the late Dr. Geingob at State House.
"I am also hopeful and confident that this occasion of remembrance is the first brick, upon which current and future generations will add their bricks to build a solid, democratic, and prosperous Namibian House, in honour and celebration of the inspiring legacy of a nation-builder, His Excellency Dr. Hage Gottfried Geingob."
A year on since Namibia experienced the death of her sitting President, Dr. Hage Geingob, an occasion that equally tested the tenacity of the country's systems, processes, and institutions.
Citizens rose from the collective grief that engulfed the Namibian House and conceded since the announcement was made by the then Vice-President Mbumba.
Describing the year as challenging, Dr. Mbumba paid homage to the conduct of Namibians throughout 2024.
"Since President Geingob's passing, we went through incidents such as the severe drought and the conclusion of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in November 2024. Throughout all these, the people of Namibia remained peaceful, calm, and united; true to the motto of One Namibia, One Nation. As President Geingob would have wished, the people of our land remained respectful of the processes, systems, and institutions, which we have consolidated since independence."
The late Geingob's physical presence with his large personality was an imposing figure in every aspect of Namibian life, but that has now been substituted by his piercing absence. And President Mbumba paid tribute to an enduring legacy left.
"We see the legacy of President Geingob through the pivotal role he played in building a public service that is inclusive and geared toward serving the interests of all Namibians. We also recall his commitment to strengthening a Governance Architecture that will withstand the test of time and provide public goods to all, specifically the most vulnerable sectors of our population."
Both President Mbumba and Professor Katjavivi had previously shared the post-retirement plans the three had come March 2025.
Now in the absence of the one member of the trio, the two are still proud of a decades-long bond as they remember their comrade.