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Walvis Bay Urban is a constituency in theErongo Region ofNamibia, comprising most of the city ofWalvis Bay.[1] It had a population of 35,828 in 2011, up from 27,941 in 2001. Walvis Bay Urban covers 18.9 km2 (7.3 sq mi) of land. With all arid surroundings belonging to theWalvis Bay Rural constituency it is by far the smallest and most densely populated constituency in Erongo Region.[2] As of 2020[update] the constituency had 25,311 registered voters.[3]
Walvis Bay Urban was created in 1998. Following a recommendation of theSecond Delimitation Commission of Namibia, and in preparation of the1998 general election, the old Walvis Bay Constituency was split into Walvis Bay Urban and Walvis Bay Rural.[4]
Walvis Bay is traditionally a stronghold of theSouth West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) party. SWAPO politicianHafeni Ndemula has represented the constituency from its establishment in 1998 until 2019. In the2004 regional election he received 5,728 of the 6,502 votes cast.[5] In the2010 regional elections, Ndemula was again re-elected with 4,254 votes. His only challenger was Sippora Ndeshihala Kamati of theRally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), who received 789 votes.[6] Ndemula also won the2015 regional elections with 3,719 votes. Clementia Hababeb of theDemocratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) came second with 461 votes, and Cornelius John Jansen (RDP) obtained 192.[7]
After councillor Ndemula was fielded as a parliamentary candidate in the2019 Namibian general election, aby-election became necessary for Walvis Bay Urban because Namibian electoral law prohibits sitting councillors and members of the public service to run for a seat in parliament.[8] The by-election was conducted on 15 January 2020. Knowledge Ipinge, an independent candidate, won with 1,636 votes, followed by Sirie Topulathana (SWAPO, 1,313 votes). Jason Iilonga (independent) and Richard Hoaeb (Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)) also ran and gained 436 and 208 votes, respectively.[9] The2020 regional election was won by Deriou Andred Benson of theIndependent Patriots for Change (IPC, an opposition party formed in August 2020). He obtained 4,531 votes. The SWAPO candidate, Miina Teuthigilua Hangula, came second with 2,705 votes. Ipinge, the sitting councillor, ended third with 947 votes.[3]
Constituencies in theErongo Region ofNamibia | ||
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22°57′0.06″S14°30′35.46″E / 22.9500167°S 14.5098500°E /-22.9500167; 14.5098500