Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Shelleygan Petersen
Published on 2024-02-23 08:42:57
The late president Hage Geingob’s body will lie in state at the Parliament Gardens for public viewing today from 16h30 through the night until tomorrow 11h30. This was announced by Namibian Defence Force (NDF) brigadier general Rehabiam Kalimba during a press briefing. Today, Geingob’s casket will be guided through Windhoek for a final goodbye, accompanied by the guard of honour, NDF vehicles, and helicopters, as well as law-enforcement agencies.
A total of 18 heads of state will be present at the funeral, including Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Finnish president Sauli Niinistö, and leaders from the South African Development Community like South Africa’s Cyril Ramaposa and Thabo Mbheki, Angola’s João Lourenço, Botswana’s Mokgweetsi Masisi, Kenyan president William Ruto, and Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo, among others. Additionally, 27 countries have sent delegations, including the United States of America’s secretary of the interior, Deb Haaland, and ambassador Randy Berry, as well as a delegation from China led by the special envoy and vice chairperson of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Jiang Zuojun.
The memorial service venue is Independence Stadium, with gates opening at 10h00 and the programme commencing at 14:00 on the following day. Vendors are allowed to sell their products outside the stadium, but the sale of alcohol is prohibited. Geingob’s funeral will take place on Sunday at Heroes’ Acre, with gates opening for the public at 06h00. The burial ceremony will start at 10h00 and conclude at 12h00. The government will announce the pickup points for free transport across Windhoek to transport Namibians to the memorial service at Independence Stadium and the funeral at Heroes’ Acre.
The body of the late president will be transported through several roads in Windhoek, with specific timings for each route. The procession will pass through significant locations to allow the public to pay their respects as the late president is transported to various areas in the city.
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