Hundreds gathered at the Hage Geingob Medical Campus to honour the late president's 85th birthday and launch his legacy Town Hall Conversation.

The gathering highlighted the late leader Hage Geingob for his contributions to education, governance and African Unity. 

Speakers said his concept of a "Namibian House" emphasised shared identity, rule of law and effective institutions.

The Former President Nangolo Mbumba noted the late president's leadership focused on socio-economic development, digital inclusion, and regional cooperation.

"Indeed, as we ponder the legacy of Dr. Hage Geingob and his contribution to the African governance architecture, let us remember that it is not the legacy of processes, systems and institutions but the legacy that is upheld across the continent, which continues to this day to have a meaningful impact on people, producing tangible and transformative outcomes in their lives. He set a benchmark for future leaders on our continent by introducing a third wave of African leaders, or what he called 'new Africa'."

The gathering further highlighted Dr. Hage G. Geingob's Presidential Centre and the values he stood for.

The chairperson of the centre, Professor Peter Katjavivi, says the objective of the initiative is to uphold and preserve Dr. Geingob's legacy and set a leadership standard in Namibia as well as the SADC region by preserving the past, capturing the present, and inspiring the future through research and documentation.

"I feel the area that we have not done well in is documenting and writing about our experiences as we traverse through different stages of nation-building; that is a challenge to some of us, to many of us. The Dr. Hage Geingob Presidential Centre is an initiative that has been set up by his family, in particular by his dear wife, former First Lady Monica Geingob, and the children."

The gathering was held under the theme "The Unique Contribution of President Hage Geingob to Governance in Africa: Mediating Effective Governance through the Namibian Example".