Ondangwa (also
Ondangua), is a town in the Oshana Region
of northern Namibia
, bordering
Oshikoto Region. Ondangwa
means "the end of the Ondonga area" (Ondonga is one of the kingdoms
of
Ovamboland).
Located about 80 km
from the Angolan
border,
Ondangwa is situated along the B1. It is one of the places
of residence of the Kings of Ondonga. (currently King Eliphas
Kauluma, father to the reigning king lives here). Most of the
residents of the town speak
Oshindonga.
The landscape is flat, monotonous and dotted with settlements.
Mopane,
Marula and Wild
fig trees turn up occasionally between the
fields and the
kraals and one can also find
Makalani palm trees here (symbol of the
Ovambo area). After heavy rains in the region, many little lakes
and ponds form.
The water comes from the Cuvelai River reaching from the north to the
Etosha
Pan
.
Ondangwa is the district capital of the
Ondangwa electoral constituency.
History
Before the Apartheid era
In 1870,
Onandjokwe, near Ondangwa, was
the site of the first Christian (Finnish Lutheran) mission in
Ovamboland was set up by
Finnish
Lutherans.
During Apartheid
In the sixties and seventies, Ovamboland became the scene of severe
fighting between SWAPO and the South African army. The Ovambo bore
the brunt of Namibia's independence struggle and thousands of lives
were lost.
During
Namibian War of
Independence, Ondangwa was a major theatre of fighting between
the rebel movement
South West Africa
People's Organization (SWAPO) and the
South African Defence Force
(SADF).
Economy and Development
Ondangwa features a shopping centre, a large open market, and
several tourism facilities.
Many local
authorities for the Oshana
and Oshikoto regions are placed in the town, e.g. the
Ministry of Education and police. The hospital is placed
in the nearby town Oniipa
.
Ondangwa remains an important transit point for Owambo contract
workers going to or coming from the copper- and lead-mining town of
Tsumeb, 170 miles (274 km) southeast. Moreover there is a 53
Battalion HQ at Ondangwa, just before the Ondangwa Airforce Base on
the main Oshakati road in Sector 10.There are several schools in
the town, among them
Andimba
Toivo ya Toivo Senior Secondary School. Some schools extend
farthest from the town - for instance Ekulo Senior Secondary
School. The most well-known football team is
KK Palace and
Volcano.
Since independence, the government has settled up an industry in
the north, to create jobs and improve the poor infrastructure.
Rössing Foundation,
Kayec and
Cosdec are the three
vocational skills schools training young people in building
maintenance, sewing, cooking, and Internet Technology.
Transport
In 2001,
planning started on a railway line to link Tsumeb with Ondangwa,
with extensions to Angola planned to
follow. The rail line had its first official service on
11 May,
2006.
The
passenger train Omugulugwombashe
Star traveled once a week back and forth between Windhoek
and Ondangwa
before it broke down due to climatic conditions.
The town
shares an airport with Oshakati
.
Ondangwa
is linked to Oshakati and Oshikango
by a tarred road. Rental car services are
also available for tourists. Residents and car owners cars are
often extra cautious and careful ,mostly when crossing and driving
in the town, because livestock permission in town are not strictly
regulated by the government therefore cattle and goats roam around
especially at night.
See also
References
- Ondangwa at brittanica.com
External links
Wikis
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