Oshakati
Oshakati is a town in northern Namibia. It is the regional capital of the Oshana Region and one of Namibia's largest cities, both by population and as an economic center. It had a population of 58,656 people in 2023.
Oshakati was founded in July 1966 and proclaimed a town in 1992. The town was used as a base of operations by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War.
History
In Oshiwambo, the language of the Ovambo people, the town's name means "that which is in between", although some believe that the name was used to refer to the broadcasting tower, which at high was the tallest structure in the town centre and Namibia.On 19 February 1988, a bomb blast at the First National Bank in Oshakati killed 27 people and badly injured nearly 30 others, most of them nurses and teachers. No one was ever convicted of the bombing, and the issue was dropped upon independence in 1990 in favour of national reconciliation.
Economy and infrastructure
Oshakati has experienced much development since Namibia achieved independence in 1990. It was proclaimed a town in 1992.Oshakati is located near the B1, Namibia's main highway, which stretches from South Africa through the capital Windhoek and on to the Angolan border.
Since the turn of the century, there have now many shops like furniture stores, shoe stores, pharmacies, etc. The three main shopping centres are Game, Etango, and Yetu. The Oshakati Independence Stadium is situated in town.
In April 2006, the Oshakati town council building was inaugurated by Botswana's president, Festus Mogae. Dr. Frans Aupa Indongo Open Market sells groceries, dried fish, and dried Mopane worms.
Geography
Location
Oshakati is situated in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin and is cut by the Okatana River. Both of these geographic features make the town prone to flooding; in 2008, it was last hit by heavy floods. The Oshakati Master Plan Project is underway to build a dike around the town, to deepen and straighten the river, and to resettle people living near the riverbed and clogging the flow of water.Demographics
Climate
Oshakati has a semi-arid climate, with hot summers and relatively mild winters. The average annual precipitation is, with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer.Politics
Oshakati is governed by a town council that has seven seats. The town area covers two electoral constituencies, Oshakati East and Oshakati West.Oshana Region, to which Oshakati belongs, is a stronghold of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party. In the 2015 local authority election, SWAPO won by a landslide and gained six council seats. The remaining seat went to the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, which gained 330 votes. Major Katrina Shimbulu from SWAPO has been serving in this position from 2007 to 2010, and again after the 2015 election.
SWAPO also won the 2020 local authority election. It obtained 3,028 votes and gained four seats. The Independent Patriots for Change, an opposition party formed in August 2020, obtained 1,887 votes and gained three seats. Leonard Hango the mayor of Oshakati. Leonard Hango was reelected in 2024 as the mayor of the Oshakati Town Council.
Education
Many primary and secondary schools are to be found in Oshakati, e.g., Iipumbu, Oshakati, Ngolo, Erundu Secondary School, Cabatana, and others, including Afoti Combined School in Uuvudhiya constituency in Oshana Region in the Omapopo cluster of Oshakati Circuit.The University of Namibia is also found in Oshakati. The campus is located in the town center's Eliander Mwatale street, off the Main road C46, next to Oshakati Independence
The Oshana Regional Study and Resource Center was established on September 17, 2014, through the assistance of the Millennium Challenge Account Namibia. Situated between the GIPF house and the Social Security regional head office in Oshakati, the library can host up to 600 people, has 220 study spaces, a meeting hall that can accommodate 125 seated people, a video conferencing room, and shelving spaces for up to 35,000 books.
Culture
Oshakati town is within the Kwambi traditional authority.Oshakati Town Council hosts the annual Oshakati Totem Expo. It combines the celebration of local traditions with a modern business exhibition. The event was launched by Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa
Oshakati has a football team, Oshakati City FC.