Namibia interim president, Nangolo Mbumba says no plan to run in this year’s upcoming election—my aim was to be a school principal

Nangolo Mbumba, who now serves as interim president of Namibia after the sad announcement of the death of Hage Geingob, the sitting president on Sunday l, has revealed that he doesn’t have any intention to run in the country’s upcoming presidential election this year. Namibia interim president

President Hage Geingob died in office on Sunday after his return from the United States for medical treatment.

However, the new vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who had inherited the office from Mbumba was recommended and approved by the country’s ruling body, South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) as its national flag bearer a year ago. Namibia interim president

Netumbo will take up the mantle to run in the election coming this year ending, and if she wins at the ballot will write a new history as first African female president.

Addressing the public, in a manner that has seemed uncharacteristic of African leaders, the incredible Namibian politician, Mbumba said, “I am not going to be around for the elections so don’t panic.” Namibia interim president

He recanted his original passion to be an educationist during the swear-in ceremony,  and expressed gratitude to the Namibians for the opportunity he had been given to serve the country.

“My aim was to be a school principal, which I achieved and now I have to thank the Namibian people for the honour they have bestowed on me to be their president, for a short period,” he said. Namibia interim president

According to the South West Africa People’s Organization, SWAPO, it’s against its constitution to make any  new changes to its choice if a candidate has been nominated two years before election.

The party has ruled Namibia – a mining hotspot with abundant diamonds, uranium and also lithium needed for electric car batteries – since independence from South Africa in 1990, said Reuters. Namibia interim president

Mbumba mourned the death of their past president, Hage Geingob, who had been in power as the Namibian president since 2015 and died at 82 on Sunday from cancer 4 February 2024.

“It is poignant and reassuring to note that today, even in this time of heavy loss, our nation remains calm and stable,” Mbumba said. 

“This is owing to the visionary leadership … of president Geingob who was the chief architect of the Namibian constitution.” Namibia interim president

Gathered by sources, Geingob leaves behind a middle-income country fighting to push economic growth above 3% following a pandemic-era slowdown and reverse racial inequalities left over from colonialism and annexation by South Africa’s former white minority government.

Achievements by the past president of Namibia:

Hage Geingob made a record by becoming the first African president whose country undertook an agreement in 2022 to supply the European Union with green hydrogen and other minerals used for clean energy. Namibia was known as the leader of the global green economy. Namibia interim president

Namibia also began construction of Africa’s first decarbonized iron plant, last year,which is powered solely by green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen is derived from water using electrolytes powered by renewable energy, burning a trail in the form of steelmaking.

Namibia got ahead of its African Neighbours including South Africa and other industrialized and economically better countries whose efforts to achieve the same have failed. Namibia interim president