Okakarara | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: Erari | |
| Motto: Risa ukute | |
  Okakarara Location in Namibia | |
| Coordinates:20°35′9″S17°27′28″E / 20.58583°S 17.45778°E /-20.58583; 17.45778 | |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Region | Otjozondjupa Region |
| Constituencies of Namibia | Okakarara Constituency |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Erenfriede Veundja Kamutuezu |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Town | 4,709 |
| • Urban | 7,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Climate | BSh |
Okakarara is a town inOtjozondjupa Region,Namibia, located 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast ofWaterberg National Park.[2] It has an estimated population of 7,000 and is growing by 1,500 inhabitants annually.[3]
Okakarara consists of the residential areas ofPamue, the former whites-only area, andOkakarara Proper, the former black residential area. It is the district capital of theOkakarara electoral constituency that includes surrounding settlements.
The 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.[3] Okakarara became the centre of the Herero Tribal Authority in the early 1970s.[citation needed]
The town further features a secondary school, a government hospital, a vocational training centre, and an abattoir.
Since 2007, Okakarara hosts the annualOkakarara trade fair, a four-day event to bring thebreeders of thecommunal land area around the town together to showcase the animsale of cakes, a trade centre and anSME park.[3]
To earn a living, small entrepreneurs earn their living through the selling of various items and services.[4]
One of the higher educational services is offered at theOkakarara Senior Secondary School.
Additional higher tertiary education is also offered at theOkakarara Vocational Training Center. As a leading Namibian Vocational Education and Training institution, Okakarara VTC is entrusted with the provision of cutting-edge technical and vocational training services to individuals from all walks of life.
Okakarara is governed by a town council that has seven seats.[5] Formerly part of theApartheid-erabantustanHereroland, the area is still mainly populated by theHerero people. Because of this, Okakarara is one of the few towns in Namibia where the otherwise dominantSWAPO party faces considerable opposition.
In the2004 elections,SWAPO came only second, and the Herero-dominatedNational Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) won. Due to a very unusual coalition between SWAPO andDemocratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), the then elected town mayor Ehrnst Katjiku had SWAPO affiliation. The2015 local authority election was again won by NUDO which gained three seats and 842 votes. SWAPO came second with 538 votes and gained two seats, and the DTA also gained two seats with 483 votes.[6] NUDO also won the2020 local authority election. It obtained 642 votes and gained two seats. Also at two seats each were thePopular Democratic Movement (PDM, the new name of the DTA) with 535 votes and SWAPO with 375 votes. The remaining seat went to theLandless People's Movement (LPM, an opposition party formed in 2016) with 365 votes.[7]
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Okakarara has twinning agreements with the following Namibian towns:[3]
Okakarara is named as the venue for the "ECACL conference" that Ann Taylor has the honour of attending in the 1989 filmThe Gods Must Be Crazy II.[9]
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| National | |
