Oniipa is a town in the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia and the district capital of the Oniipa electoral constituency. It lies just outside Ondangwa.[2]

Oniipa
Oniipa is located in Namibia
Oniipa
Oniipa
Location in Namibia
Coordinates: 17°55′00″S 16°02′00″E / 17.91667°S 16.03333°E / -17.91667; 16.03333
Country Namibia
RegionOshikoto Region
ConstituencyOniipa
Area
 • Total5.6 sq mi (14.5 km2)
Elevation
3,524 ft (1,074 m)
Population
 (2023 census)[1]
 • Total4,740
 • Density850/sq mi (330/km2)
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
ClimateBSh

History edit

Oniipa was established in 1872 by the Finnish Missionary Society. In 2014 it became part of the settlement area combined with the nearby village of Onethindi. It was designated as a town in 2015.[3]

The old church hospital, the Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital, which was named after the first female nurse, is situated in Oniipa. Today, the hospital is managed by the Government of Namibia.

During the struggle and war for independence of the country, a printing shop was burnt down by the Boers.

Politics edit

Oniipa is governed by a town council that has seven seats.[4]

Oshikoto Region, to which Oniipa belongs, is a stronghold of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party. For the 2015 local authority election no opposition party nominated a candidate, and SWAPO won uncontested.[5] SWAPO only narrowly won the 2020 local authority election. It obtained 733 votes and gained four seats. The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, obtained 673 votes and gained three seats.[6]

Notable people edit

It is the hometown of former Lutheran bishop and liberation leader Leonard Auala.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2023 Population & Housing Census Preliminary Report" (PDF). Statistics Namibia.
  2. ^ Profile worldcitydb.com
  3. ^ "About Us - Oniipa Town Council". Oniipa Town Council. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Know Your Local Authority". Election Watch. No. 3. Institute for Public Policy Research. 2015. p. 4.
  5. ^ "Local elections results". Electoral Commission of Namibia. 28 November 2015. p. 6. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015.
  6. ^ "2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats" (PDF). Electoral Commission of Namibia. 29 November 2020. p. 15. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  7. ^ Bishop Auala Centenary The Namibian, 25 September 2008

17°55′S 16°02′E / 17.917°S 16.033°E / -17.917; 16.033