Oniipa | |
|---|---|
Oniipa Location in Namibia | |
| Coordinates: 17°55′00″S 16°02′00″E / 17.91667°S 16.03333°E / -17.91667; 16.03333 | |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Region | Oshikoto Region |
| Constituency | Oniipa |
| Proclaimed town | 2015 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jafet Augustus1 |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.6 sq mi (14.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,524 ft (1,074 m) |
| Population (2023 census)2 | |
• Total | 4,740 |
| • Density | 847/sq mi (327/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Climate | BSh |
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.3 In 2014, the area around Oniipa was declared the Onethindi-Oniipa Settlement Area.4 Parts of Onethindi were incorporated in 2015.5
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 3,882 | — |
| 2023 | 4,740 | +1.68% |
| Source:2 | ||
History
Oniipa was established in 1872 by the Finnish Missionary Society.6
During the war for independence of the country, Evangelical Lutheran Ovambo-Kavango (ELOC) Printing Press shop was burnt down by the Boers.
Economy and infrastructure
75% of Oniipa's residents have access to clean drinking water.7
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.8 Today, the hospital is managed by the Government of Namibia.
Oniipa Training School, a teacher training school founded in 1913, is situated in town.9
Tourism
Onandjokwe State Hospital houses Namibia's only medical museum. Owing to its connections to Finnish culture, Oniipa operates Namibia's only public sauna. Nakambale Museum, named after the nickname of Martti Rautanen, is situated in town.10
Politics
Oniipa was proclaimed a town in 2015.5 Since then is governed by a town council that has seven seats.11
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.12 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.13
Notable people
- Michael Amushelelo (born 1991), social activist, politician and a businessman14
- It is the hometown of former Lutheran bishop and liberation leader Leonard Auala.15
References
References
Notes
- "Mr Jafet Augustus". Oniipa Town Council. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- "4.5 Population by town and census years (2011 and 2023)" (PDF). Namibia 2023 - Population and Housing Census. Main Report. Namibia Statistics Agency. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- Profile worldcitydb.com
- "About Us - Oniipa Town Council". Oniipa Town Council. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- "Establishment of certain area as local authority area and declaration thereof as Oniipa Town: Local Authorities Act, 1992" (pdf). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. No. 5721. Government of Namibia. 1 April 2015. p. 5.
- "ELOC Printing Press – Basler Afrika Bibliographien". www.baslerafrika.ch. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- Simasiku, Obrein (16 May 2018). "Oniipa grapples with high unemployment". New Era.
- Mtuleni & Shiweda 2011, p. 14-18.
- Oshigambo High School Turns 50, Prime Focus magazine, September 2010.
- "History - Oniipa Town Council". Oniipa Town Council. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- "Know Your Local Authority". Election Watch. No. 3. Institute for Public Policy Research. 2015. p. 4.
- "Local elections results". Electoral Commission of Namibia. 28 November 2015. p. 6. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015.
- "2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats" (PDF). Electoral Commission of Namibia. 29 November 2020. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- Mumbuu, Edward (2023-02-17). "Amushelelo: Sinner or saint? …a glance into the life of activist, businessman and alleged fraudster - New Era". Retrieved 2024-09-20.
- Bishop Auala Centenary The Namibian, 25 September 2008
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).