constituency Ongwediva Constituency Climate BSh Local time Saturday 4:49 AM | Proclaimed 1992 Population 20,260 (2011) | |
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Weather 21°C, Wind SW at 5 km/h, 88% Humidity | ||
Ongwediva town
Ongwediva is a town in the Oshana Region in the north of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Ongwediva electoral constituency. As of 2010 it had 27,000 inhabitants and covered 4,102 hectares of land. Ongwediva has seven churches, two private schools and 13 government-run schools. Most of the inhabitants speak Oshiwambo.
Contents
- Ongwediva town
- Map of Ongwediva Namibia
- History
- Economy and development
- Politics
- Education
- Notable residents
- References
Map of Ongwediva, Namibia
History
The settlement of Ongwediva was established in the 1960s while Namibia was under South African occupation, in the area of headman Mr Nandjebo Mengela. Its purpose was to serve as a residential area for people employed by businesses and government in Oshakati and Ondangwa. All main educational institutions in the north of Namibia (at that time called the Ovamboland) were situated here.
Economy and development
Ongwediva hosts an annual trade fair, the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) since 2000, after one initial trade fair, the Northern Namibia Trade Fair, was held in 1995. Opposite of the open market, there is a shopping mall (Maroela Mall, Mandume Ndemufayo St.).
Ongwediva is an urban area that experiences rapid growth. It had less than 11,000 inhabitants in 2001.
Ongwediva is the second largest entertainment town in Namibia just behind the capital Windhoek. Ongwediva is a fast-growing town in terms of development and status as a second most livable town in Namibia. It also features one of the few private hospitals in Namibia.
Politics
Ongwediva is governed by a town council that currently has seven seats.
Education
There are currently only two high schools in Ongwediva, Mweshipandeka High School and Gabriel Taapopi SSS. There are also five primary schools. The newly created Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology of the University of Namibia is based in Ongwediva, and started its first official academic year in 2009. There is also an educational college for teachers.