Okakarara

Location :

Okakarara is a town in Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia, located 50 km southeast of Waterberg National Park. It has an estimated population of 7000 and is currently growing by 1500 inhabitants annually.Okakarara consists of the residential areas of Opamue, the former whites-only area, and Okakarara Proper, the former black residential area. It is the district capital of the Okakarara electoral constituency that includes surrounding settlements.HistoryThe first house was built by Salathiel Kambamba Kambazembi and Reinard Tjerije who arrived in the area in 1923. The settlement grew over time and was proclaimed a town in 1992. Okakarara became the centre of the Herero Tribal Authority in the early seventies.PoliticsOkakarara is governed by a town council that has seven seats. Formerly part of the Apartheid-era bantustan Hereroland, the area is still mainly populated by the Herero people. Because of this, Okakarara is one of the few towns in Namibia where the otherwise dominant SWAPO party came only second in the 2004 elections, and the Herero-dominated NUDO won. Due to a very unusual coalition between SWAPO and DTA, the elected town mayor Ehrnst Katjiku has SWAPO affiliation.

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