Omaheke Region

Last updated
Omaheke Region
Region
Omaheke in Namibia.svg
Location of the Omaheke Region in Namibia
Country Namibia
Capital Gobabis
Government
 • Governor Pijoo Nganate [1]
Area
[2]
 • Total84,981 km2 (32,811 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 census) [3] [4]
 • Total102,881
 • Density1.2/km2 (3.1/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+2 (CAT)
HDI (2017)0.600 [5]
medium · 10th

Omaheke (Otjiherero : Sandveld ) is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia, the least populous region. Its capital is Gobabis. It lies in eastern Namibia on the border with Botswana and is the western extension of the Kalahari desert. The self-governed villages of Otjinene, Leonardville and Witvlei are situated in the region. As of 2020, Omaheke had 48,594 registered voters. [6]

Contents

Economy and infrastructure

Typical Cattle Farm near Gobabis Gobabis Cattle County 2017.jpg
Typical Cattle Farm near Gobabis

Gobabis is the centre of this area and also its main business area, as it is linked with the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, by rail and the tarred B6 national road. This infrastructure serves as the main supply line for the region.

All the other population centres in the region are linked with Gobabis by road. Many other services are rendered from Gobabis to the region, such as the Police Divisional Headquarters, which is situated in Gobabis. Clinics in the region are served by medical practitioners based in Gobabis, and there are two hospitals and a clinic serving the region.

The agricultural patterns of this region is to a large extent homogenous. Most of the 900 commercial and 3,500 communal farmers in this area are cattle breeders. A regional office of the Ministry of Agriculture, serving the whole region, is based in Gobabis.

Hunting, including trophy hunting, is one of the major sources of income for the region. This takes place mainly in the winter months, from June to August. During these months, tourists from the northern hemisphere can be seen in the area, enjoying the mild and dry winter climate and collecting trophies.

In 2013 Omaheke had 42 government schools with a total of 18,365 pupils. [7]

Politics

Upon independence of Namibia, Hereroland East was absorbed into Omaheke Region. [8] The region comprises seven constituencies: [9]

Presidential elections

In the 2004 presidential election, the Omaheke Region supported SWAPO 's Hifikepunye Pohamba with 13,005 votes (46%) but the Ohangwena Region native did not win a majority of the votes in the region. National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO)'s Kuaima Riruako, paramount chief of the Herero people, received over 7,000 votes (25%), and the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA)'s Katuutire Kaura received over 3,700 votes (13%). Only in the much more populated Khomas Region and neighboring Otjozondjupa Region did Riruako gain more votes, and in no other region did NUDO's candidate gain a higher percentage of the votes. [10]

Regional elections

In the 2015 regional elections SWAPO obtained 54% of the total votes (2010: 47%) and won four of the seven constituencies. NUDO obtained 23% of the total votes (2010: 26%) [6] and won Aminuis and Otjinene, while Otjombinde was won by an independent candidate. [11] [12] Although SWAPO's support dropped to 44% of the total votes in the 2020 regional election, it won five of the seven constituencies, while NUDO (23% total) kept its strongholds Otjinene and Aminuis. [6]

Governors

Demographics

According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Omaheke Region is 34.1%. [18]

Language

According to the 2011 census, 43% of the population speak Otjiherero, 30% speak Nama/Damara and 8% speak Afrikaans at home. [3]

Characteristics

In the east, Omaheke borders are three districts of Botswana:

Domestically, it borders the following regions:

Omaheke is traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. [19]

A large part of this region is known as the Sandveld. The northeastern part of the region is still very much wilderness.[ citation needed ]

Anthropologically, almost the entire Ovambanderu and Gobabis-Juǀwa ethnic groups reside in the region. Furthermore, it is a rich cultural area for Herero, Damara-Nama, Tswana, Afrikaners and Germans.[ citation needed ]

One of its notable event is the annual Meat Festival.[ citation needed ]

History

On 11 August 1904, a German armed force with artillery and machine guns, which had encircled the Herero who had fled to the Waterberg in Namibia, attacked and forced the survivors to flee to the Omaheke desert, where large numbers died. Those who tried to emerge from the desert were killed by German patrols along the perimeter of the Omaheke. [20] This was the turning point in the Herero and Namaqua Genocide.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khomas Region</span> Region in Namibia

Khomas is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia. Its name refers to the Khomas Highland, a high plateau landscape that dominates this administrative subdivision. Khomas is centered on the capital city Windhoek and provides for this reason superior transportation infrastructure. It is located in the central highlands of the country and is bordered by the Erongo region to the west and the northwest and by the Otjozondjupa region to the north. To the east is the Omaheke region, while in the south is the Hardap region. The region is characterized by its hilly countrysize and many valleys. It has well-developed economical, financial, and trade sectors. Khomas Region occupies 4.5% of the land area of Namibia but has the highest population of any of its regions (16.2%). Khomas is one of only three Namibian regions to have neither shoreline nor a foreign border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otjozondjupa Region</span> Region in Namibia

Otjozondjupa is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia. Its capital is Otjiwarongo. The region further contains the municipalities of Okahandja and Grootfontein and the towns Okakarara and Otavi. As of 2020, Otjozondjupa had 97,945 registered voters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gobabis</span> City in Omaheke Region, Namibia

Gobabis is a town in eastern Namibia. It is the regional capital of the Omaheke Region, and the district capital of the Gobabis electoral constituency. Gobabis is situated 200 km (120 mi) down the B6 motorway from Windhoek to Botswana. The town is 113 km (70 mi) from the Buitepos border post with Botswana, and serves as an important link to South Africa on the tarred Trans-Kalahari Highway. Gobabis is in the heart of the cattle farming area. In fact Gobabis is so proud of its cattle farming that a statue of a large Brahman bull with the inscription "Cattle Country" greets visitors to the town. Gobabis also has its own local airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samora Machel Constituency</span> Electoral constituency in the Khomas region of central Namibia

Samora Machel Constituency is a constituency in Windhoek in the Khomas Region of central Namibia. The constituency is located across four northern suburbs of Windhoek: Wanaheda, Greenwell Matongo, Goreangab, and part of Havana. It had a population of 50,110 in 2011, up from 29,382 in 2001. As of 2020 it had 45,962 registered voters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khomasdal Constituency</span> Electoral constituency in the Khomas region of central Namibia

Khomasdal Constituency is a constituency in Windhoek in the Khomas Region of Namibia. As of December 2019 it had 25,550 registered voters. The constituency consists of parts of the suburbs Khomasdal, Katutura, and Otjomuise. It had a population of 43,921 in 2011, up from 27,950 in 2001.

Okahandja is a city of 45,159 inhabitants in Otjozondjupa Region, central Namibia, and the district capital of the Okahandja electoral constituency. It is known as the Garden Town of Namibia. It is located 70 km north of Windhoek on the B1 road. It was founded around 1800, by two local groups, the Herero and the Nama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otjiwarongo</span> City in Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia

Otjiwarongo is a city of 49,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital of Otjozondjupa.

Articles related to Namibia include:

Stefanus "Steve" Orateng Mogotsi is a Namibian politician and former featherweight boxer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalahari Constituency</span> Electoral constituency in the Omaheke region of eastern Namibia

Kalahari Constituency is an electoral constituency in the Omaheke Region of eastern central Namibia. It had 9,234 inhabitants in 2004 and 5,294 registered voters in 2020. The constituency covers the rural area east of Gobabis as well as Gobabis' Nossobville suburb. The constituency office has been inaugurated in 2009 and is located at the Ben-Hur settlement. Kalahari constituency forms part of the border between Namibia and Botswana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aminuis Constituency</span> Electoral constituency in the Omaheke region of eastern Namibia

Aminuis Constituency is an electoral constituency in the Omaheke Region of Namibia. It had 12,343 inhabitants in 2004 and 7,847 registered voters in 2020. The district capital is the settlement of Aminuis. The constituency forms part of the border between Namibia and Botswana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gobabis Constituency</span> Electoral constituency in the Omaheke region of eastern Namibia

Gobabis Constituency is an electoral constituency in the Omaheke Region of Namibia. As of December 2019 it had 13,457 registered voters. The constituency covers the rural area southeast of Gobabis and the town itself, except its Nossobville suburb. Gobabis is also the administrative centre of the constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsumkwe Constituency</span> Electoral constituency in the Otjozondjupa region of Namibia

Tsumkwe Constituency is an electoral constituency in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It had 8,823 inhabitants in 2004 and 7,075 registered voters in 2020. About 2,400 San people live in this constituency. The constituency consists of the settlement of Tsumkwe and the surrounding rural area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otjinene</span> Village in Omaheke Region, Namibia

Otjinene is a village in the Omaheke Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otjinene Constituency. Otjinene is connected via a 157 kilometres (98 mi) tarred road to the regional capital Gobabis, and via a 227 kilometres (141 mi) road which was tarred in 2017, to Grootfontein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witvlei</span> Village in Omaheke Region, Namibia

Witvlei is a village in the Okarukambe Constituency in the Omaheke Region of central-eastern Namibia. It is situated on the B6 150 kilometres (93 mi) from Windhoek on the way to Gobabis. It is known for producing high quality meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epukiro</span> Settlement in Omaheke Region, Namibia

Epukiro is a cluster of small settlements in the remote eastern part of the Omaheke Region of Namibia, situated about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northeast of the regional capital Gobabis. The centre of the populated area is the Catholic mission station. Epukiro had about 3,200 inhabitants in 1997, predominantly ethnic Tswana.

Laura Veendapi McLeod-Katjirua is a Namibian politician who has been Governor of the Khomas Region since 2012 and Deputy Secretary General of SWAPO since 2012. Previously she was Governor of Omaheke Region from 2001 to 2012. She was transferred to Khomas Region by President Hifikepunye Pohamba after she was elected as Deputy Secretary General of SWAPO on December 2, 2012.

Rapama Kamehozu was a Namibian politician, teacher, and a member of the SWAPO political party. Kamehozu served as the governor of Otjozondjupa Region from 2011 to 2012 and as governor of Omaheke Region from December 2012 until his death on 23 March 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eiseb</span> Village in Omaheke Region, Namibia

Eiseb, also Eiseb Block, is a settlement in the Omaheke Region of Namibia. It is named after the Eiseb River, an ephemeral river (omuramba) in the Kalahari desert. Eiseb is situated on the District road D1635 c. 350 kilometres (220 mi) northeast of Talismanus and belongs to the Otjombinde electoral constituency.

References

  1. 1 2 "Goodbye". Namibian Sun . 10 April 2020. p. 1.
  2. ↑ "Namibia's Population by Region". Election Watch. Institute for Public Policy Research (1): 3. 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Omaheke 2011 Census Regional Profile" (PDF). Statistics Namibia. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "2023 Population & Housing Census Preliminary Report" (PDF). Statistics Namibia.
  5. ↑ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  6. 1 2 3 "Regional Council 2020 Election Results". Interactive map. Electoral Commission of Namibia. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Miyanicwe, Clemans; Kahiurika, Ndanki (27 November 2013). "School counsellors overstretched". The Namibian . p. 1.
  8. ↑ Region of Namibia Namib Web
  9. ↑ Omaheke Region Constituencies Archived 2008-12-31 at the Wayback Machine Electoral Commission of Namibia
  10. ↑ Election Results: Omaheke Region Election Watch Namibia
  11. ↑ "Regional Council Election Results 2015". Electoral Commission of Namibia. 3 December 2015. pp. 15–16. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015.
  12. ↑ Menges, Werner (29 November 2015). "Mixed results for opposition in regional polls". The Namibian .
  13. ↑ Laura McLeod Namibia Institute for Democracy Archived February 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Maletsky, Christof (20 February 2006). "Swapo members ordered to toe line - or face the music". The Namibian . He [Festus Ueitele] was supported by Omaheke Governor Laura McLeod. "You must comply".
  15. ↑ Haufiku, Mathias (2013-03-25). "Namibia: Governor Kamehozu Loses Battle Against Cancer" . New Era . AllAfrica.com . Retrieved 2013-03-25.
  16. ↑ Immanuel, Shinovene (22 April 2013). "Pohamba continues to pave way for Geingob". The Namibian .
  17. ↑ "President announces governors". The Namibian . 10 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015.
  18. ↑ Duddy, Jo Maré (11 April 2013). "Unemployment rate still alarmingly high". The Namibian . Archived from the original on 14 April 2013.
  19. ↑ A point on the line lies within the region. 20°55′S20°55′E / 20.917°S 20.917°E
  20. ↑ Olusoga, David and Erichsen, Casper W (2010). The Kaiser's Holocaust. Germany's Forgotten Genocide and the Colonial Roots of Nazism. Faber and Faber. ISBN   978-0-571-23141-6

22°00′S19°30′E / 22.000°S 19.500°E / -22.000; 19.500

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.