WINDHOEK: Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, on Wednesday paid his respects to former First Lady Monica, following the death of her husband, the late President Hage Geingob.

Kabila is the second African leader to visit the former first lady after Geingob’s passing in a Windhoek hospital on Sunday.

Signing the book of condolences at the couple’s residence, he wrote, ‘May the fond memories and laughter that characterised President Geingob’s life be a comfort and solace for the family and the Namibian nation for the years to come.’

Mourners from all walks of life are visiting the Geingob residence, including Ondonga Traditional Authority leader, Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo, Popular Democratic Movement leader, McHenry Venaani, Affirmative Reposition Movement leader, Job Amanda and other dignitaries.

‘One thing that he has done so well is nation building… Hage spent a lot of his presidency on nation building, he did it exceptionally well and I supported. That’s why most times I
am one of the few opposition leaders that attends national days because I did it to show that we have a country to protect regardless of our differences. We are children of one country and whoever leads the country does not matter, but what matter is that we must carry the country and its people with dignity and he has carried our flag very well,’ Venaani said.

Geingob died at the age of 82.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean Parliament on Tuesday also paid tribute to Geingob.

Leading the Parliamentary tributes, Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, said Geingob was instrumental in the formation of the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF).

Mudenda further remarked that President Geingob was so passionate about the establishment of SADC PF that he even offered to host it in Namibia.

‘The late President (Geingob) was instrumental in the genesis of the SADC PF way back in 1992, and that seed indeed germinated in reality on 08 September in Blantyre, Malawi, where the SADC summit unanimo
usly agreed that the SADC PF should be established as a regional parliamentary body for consultative purposes and later to be transformed into a regional Parliament of SADC,’ he said.

Mudenda added that Zimbabwe has special relationship with the Namibian Government from a parliamentary point of view and that its late president will be remembered as a pan-Africanist, a liberation hero and a visionary statesman who served his people with distinction.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency