HARARE, February 4. /TASS/. Namibia’s Vice President Nangolo Mbumba has been sworn in as president following the death of his predecessor, Hage Geingob.

The ceremony was broadcast by the Namibian Sun newspaper on its X page.

Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was appointed Vice President.

Geingob died earlier on Sunday at the age of 82. He had been Namibia’s president since November 2014, being elected to his second office term in November 2019.

In 2021, Geingob gave an interview to TASS. He lauded the former Soviet Union’s assistance to his country and expressed hope for closer cooperation with Russia, especially in the farming sector. Speaking about the Russia-Africa summit, he stressed that such meetings "strengthen relations" between countries, bringing closer a situation when "there is just one pole, one force dictating its will to the world." Russia and African nations, in his words, want to "move forward, not being at odds with anyone.".