Okakarara
| Okakarara | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Okakarara
|
|
| Coordinates: 20°35′9″S 17°27′28″E / 20.58583°S 17.45778°ECoordinates: 20°35′9″S 17°27′28″E / 20.58583°S 17.45778°E | |
| Country |
 Namibia
|
| Region | Otjozondjupa Region |
| Constituencies of Namibia | Okakarara Constituency |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | John Viakondo |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Town | 4,709 |
| • Urban | 7,000 |
| Time zone | South African Standard Time (UTC+1) |
| Climate | BSh |
Okakarara is a town in Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia, located 50 km southeast of Waterberg National Park. It has an estimated population of 7000 and is currently growing by 1500 inhabitants annually.
Okakarara consists of the residential areas of Opamue, the former whites-only area, and Okakarara Proper, the former black residential area. It is the district capital of the Okakarara 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. Okakarara became the centre of the Herero Tribal Authority in the early seventies.
Okakarara is governed by a town council that currently[update] has seven seats. Formerly part of the Apartheid-era bantustan Hereroland, the area is still mainly populated by the Herero people. Because of this, Okakarara is one of the few towns in Namibia where the otherwise dominant SWAPO party came only second in the 2004 elections, and the Herero-dominated NUDO won. Due to a very unusual coalition between SWAPO and DTA, the elected town mayor Ehrnst Katjiku has SWAPO affiliation.
Since 2007, Okakarara houses an annual trade fair. This initiative also led to the erection of a trade centre and an SME park. The town further features a secondary school,a government hospital, a vocational training centre, and an abbatoir.
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