WINDHOEK - Namibian President Hage G. Geingob passed away early Sunday while receiving cancer treatment in a hospital in the capital city of Windhoek, the presidential office announced. He was 82.

"It is with utmost sadness and regret that I inform you that our beloved Dr. Hage G. Geingob, the President of the Republic of Namibia, has passed on today, Sunday 4 February 2024 at around 00h04 at Lady Pohamba Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment from his medical team," acting president Nangolo Mbumba said in a statement on the official social media account of the Namibian Presidency.

Geingob had served as Namibia's third president since March 21, 2015, and was re-elected for another five-year term in 2019. He served as prime minister in 1990-2002 and 2012-2015, in addition to other key ministerial and leadership roles.

"His medical team... has been trying its utmost best to ensure that our President recovers," the statement said. "Regrettably, notwithstanding the team's spirited effort to save his life, sadly, fellow Namibians, President Geingob passed on."

"The Namibian nation has lost a distinguished servant of the people, a liberation struggle icon, the chief architect of our constitution and the pillar of the Namibian house," the statement said.

It called on Namibians to "remain calm and collected while the government attends to all necessary state arrangements, preparations and other protocols."

On Saturday, vice president Mbumba told the nation Geingob was in a critical but stable condition after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek, the capital city.

On Jan. 19, the Namibian presidency said Geingob's medical team discovered cancerous cells following a biopsy examination.