Nation mourns ‘Lady Pohamba’

Namibia has lost a woman who helped shape its post-independence history with the death on Saturday of former first lady Penehupifo ‘Penny’ Pohamba (78).Mourners from across the country described Pohamba as a “caregiver, freedom fighter and a trusted voice” behind the scenes of the nation’s highest office.Pohamba, Namibia’s second first lady from 2005 to 2015, is survived by her husband, former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, and five children.“Her passing marks a solemn moment for our nation. For the first time since independence in 1990, Namibia mourns the passing of a woman who served as first lady of our republic,” minister in the Presidency Charles Mubita said on Sunday.Mubita said President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah shared in the family’s grief and extended her deepest condolences to the former head of state, who had lost his wife and lifelong companion.The minister urged Namibians to recognise that, beyond the national mourning, the death was first and foremost a personal tragedy for the Pohamba family.Yesterday, Nandi-Ndaitwah visited the Pohamba residence in Windhoek to extend her condolences.Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare also paid a condolence visit to the Pohamba family and said: “May the bereaved family find strength, comfort and peace as they mourn the loss of their beloved wife, mother and loved one.”TrendsetterFormer first lady Monica Geingos said Pohamba’s legacy helped redefine the role for those who followed her.“Meekulu served as first lady with grace, humility and a steady commitment. She expanded my idea of what was possible as a first lady,” Geingos said in a statement issued on Sunday.Geingos recalled how Pohamba welcomed her when she took over the role in 2015.“When I succeeded her in 2015, she took me through a gracious handover, which shaped my tenure and our relationship. From our first conversations to our most recent, she opened her heart and offered wisdom without judgement and counsel without condition.”She added: “She understood, as few people can, the particular weight and complexity of a role that has no mandate, and she helped me clarify and carry it.”Geingos also recalled how her late husband, former president Hage Geingob, encouraged her to seek Pohamba’s counsel whenever she struggled.“In the years that followed, she became one of the people I trusted most, a sage guide I could turn to when the road was uncertain and the burdens were heavy,” she said.“I will always be grateful for her patience, her honesty and the frank assessments she shared so generously,” she added.A legacy of servicePopular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani also offered his condolences.“We remember with heavy hearts a very dignified persona in her reign as first lady. Very motherly, affable and respectful,” he said, adding that “she was like a mother to me and her colossal loss is felt everywhere”.Born on 16 June 1948, Pohamba was a trained nurse and midwife whose service to the country extended well beyond her years in State House.Before assuming the public responsibilities associated with being first lady, she had worked in healthcare and dedicated herself to caring for others, including during Namibia’s liberation struggle and years of exile.Her work also extended beyond Namibia’s borders. She served as president of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/Aids from 2011 to 2013, during which she helped establish the organisation's secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Pohamba also championed maternal and child health, the fight against HIV and Aids, cancer prevention and the empowerment of women.Lady Pohamba Private Hospital, which was named in honour of the former first lady and of which she was patron, said it mourned her death “with profound sadness”.“Her compassion and commitment to the well-being of the Namibian people leave a lasting legacy,” it said.nikanor@nmh-hub.com.na

Nation mourns ‘Lady Pohamba’

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-19

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Nation mourns ‘Lady Pohamba’

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-19

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