Nangolo Mbumba

Nangolo Mbumba (born 15 August 1941) is a Namibian politician who is the fourth and current president of Namibia. He became president after the death of Hage Geingob, under whom he had served as the second Vice-president of Namibia from 2018 to 2024.

A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Mbumba has headed several Namibian Government ministries: Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (1993–1996), Finance (1996–2003), Information and Broadcasting (2003–2005), Education (2005–2010) and Safety and Security (2010–2012). From 2012 to 2017, he was the secretary-general of SWAPO.

He was appointed Vice-President of Namibia in 2018 to replace Nickey Iyambo, who departed because of ill health. He succeeded to the presidency upon the death of Hage Geingob in February 2024, and announced that he has no intention of running for election.

Education and early career
Born on 15 August 1941 in Olukonda, Oshikoto Region, South West Africa (now Namibia), Mbumba graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in the United States with a BSc in 1971. In 1973, he graduated from the University of Connecticut with an MSc in biology.

After graduating from the University in Connecticut, Mbumba began teaching at Harlem Preparatory School in New York City. Returning to Africa in 1978, he became the Head of the Science Department at the Namibia Education Centre in Cuanza Sul, Angola. In 1980, he was promoted to Principal of the Centre. He held that post until 1985.

Politics
Mbumba officially took a position with SWAPO in 1985 as Deputy Secretary for Education and Culture. Leaving that position in 1987, he became Personal Secretary to SWAPO President Sam Nujoma. He was the joint administrator of Walvis Bay during its handover to Namibia in 1994.

Since 1993, Mbumba has served in the National Assembly of Namibia and in government ministries including Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (1993–1996), Finance (1996–2003), Information and Broadcasting (2003–2005), Education (2005–2010), and Safety and Security (2010–2012).

Mbumba was elected SWAPO Secretary-General at its 2012 congress, a position considered #3 in the party's structure. He won with 352 votes against Utoni Nujoma 244 and pledged before the election that he would resign from his ministerial position if successful. On 4 December 2012, Immanuel Ngatjizeko was appointed to replace him as Minister of Safety and Security in the Cabinet reshuffle that followed the congress.

When Nickey Iyambo, Namibia's first vice president, was removed from the position in 2018 on poor health, president Hage Geingob appointed Mbumba as his successor.

President of Namibia (2024-present)
Nangolo Mbumba became acting president of Namibia when President Hage Geingob travelled to the United States for cancer treatment on 24 January 2024. He was sworn in about 15 hours after Geingob's death on 4 February 2024 by Chief Justice Peter Shivute at the State House in Windhoek and appointed Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to be his successor as Vice President. She was fielded by Geingob as the SWAPO presidential candidate for the 2024 Namibian general election, as his successor. Mbumba pledged to finish Geingob's term, which expires on 21 March 2025, adding: "I am not going to be around for the elections. So don't panic."

Further sources

 * Hopwood, Graham. Guide to Namibian Politics, 2007 edition. Namibia Institute for Democracy, Windhoek, 2007