Oniipa

Oniipa is a town in the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia and the district capital of the Oniipa electoral constituency. It had 4,740 inhabitants in 2023.

Geography

Oniipa is situated just outside Ondangwa.

History

Oniipa was established in 1872 by the Finnish Missionary Society. In 2014 it became part of the settlement area combined with the nearby village of Onethindi. It was designated as a town in 2015.

During the struggle and war for independence of the country, Evangelical Lutheran Ovambo-Kavango (ELOC) Printing Press shop was burnt down by the Boers. It was established in 1901 by the Finnish Missionary Society.

Economy and infrastructure

75% of Oniipa's residents have access to clean drinking water.

The old church hospital, Onandjokwe State Hospital is situated in Oniipa. It is named after black birds locally known as oondjohwi, living in a nearby valley. Today, the hospital is managed by the Government of Namibia.

Oniipa Training School, a teacher training school founded in 1913, is situated in town.

Politics

Oniipa is governed by a Town council that has seven seats.

Oshikoto Region, to which Oniipa belongs, is a stronghold of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party. For the 2015 local authority election no opposition party nominated a candidate, and SWAPO won uncontested. SWAPO only narrowly won the 2020 local authority election. It obtained 733 votes and gained four seats. The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, obtained 673 votes and gained three seats.

Notable people

• Michael Amushelelo (born 1991), social activist, politician and a businessman
• It is the hometown of former Lutheran bishop and liberation leader Leonard Auala.

Notes

Literature

• Mtuleni, J; Shiweda, N (2011). Onandjokwe – The First Hospital in Northern Namibia. A commemorative publication to mark the Centenary of the Onandjokwe Hospital (1911–2011).

17°55′S 16°02′E/17.917°S 16.033°E/ -17.917; 16.033