Divundu
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Divundu
|other_name =
|native_name =
|nickname =
|settlement_type = Village
|motto =
|image_skyline =
|imagesize =
|image_caption =
|image_flag =
|flag_size =
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield =
|shield_size =
|image_blank_emblem =
|blank_emblem_type =
|blank_emblem_size =
|image_map =
|mapsize =
|map_caption =
|pushpin_map = Namibia
|pushpin_label_position = bottom
|pushpin_mapsize = 300
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Namibia
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Namibia}}
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Kavango East
|subdivision_type2 = Constituency
|subdivision_name2 = Mukwe Constituency
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_party = SWAPO
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
|established_title =
|established_date = 1850
|area_magnitude =
|unit_pref =
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 =
|area_land_km2 =
|area_water_km2 =
|area_total_sq_mi =
|population_as_of = 2007
|population_footnotes =
|population_note =
|population_total = 5430
|population_density_km2 =
|population_density_sq_mi =
|population_metro =
|population_density_metro_km2 =
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban =
|population_density_urban_km2 =
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
|population_blank1_title = Ethnicities
|population_blank1 =
|population_density_blank1_km2 =
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
|timezone = SAST
|utc_offset = +2
|timezone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|coordinates = {{coord|18|7|S|21|37.5|E|region:NA|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = 1090
|elevation_ft =
|postal_code_type =
|postal_code =
|area_code = +66
|blank_name = Climate
|blank_info = BSh
|blank1_name =
|blank1_info =
|website =
|registration_plate_type = Number plate
|registration_plate = DV
|footnotes =
}}
Divundu (1.090 m above sea level) is a village on the south-eastern banks of the Okavango River in the Kavango East Region of Namibia, {{Convert|200|km}} east of Rundu. Divundu has a population of around 5,430 inhabitants and is the homestead of the local Hambukushu kings.
On the opposite, north-eastern banks of the river lies Kakutji in Angola, and the two settlements are linked via a nearby border post.
Economy and infrastructure
Divundu is situated on the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Road, in Namibia designated the national road B8. It also connects south-east to Botswana via the C48.{{google maps |title=Divundu to Mohembo West, Botswana |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/DIvundu/Mohembo+West,+Botswana/@-18.1236725,21.6041161,4334m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x1be339c1e8c94911:0x6024994c8be2815c!2m2!1d21.5483207!2d-18.0971147!1m5!1m1!1s0x1bfcd4c1b3388e11:0x98e29882ef664d56!2m2!1d21.7897859!2d-18.2876171!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D |access-date=12 October 2024}} Divundu has a National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) office and issues the number plate DV.
The Divundu Correctional Facility is one of Namibia's seven major prisons.{{Cite news | title=743 convicts in jail for rape | last=Vatileni | first=Eino | newspaper=The Namibian | date=15 February 2022 | page=1 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/743-convicts-in-jail-for-rape/}}
Tourism
Game drives to the nearby national park, Bwabwata National Park, which is well known for the diversity of wildlife in typical riverine and swampland habitat, are popular amongst tourists. Tourists frequent the Ndhovu Safari Lodge, which offers boat cruises to the Popa Falls, as well as camping facilities and guided village tours to the local Kamutjonga village.{{cite web |url=http://www.ndhovu.com/ |title=Home |website=ndhovu.com}}
Politics
Divundu is governed by a village council that has five seats.{{Cite news | title=Know Your Local Authority | publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research | newspaper=Election Watch | year = 2015 | issue=3 | page=4}} Athanasius Ndjamba Maghumbo is the CEO of Divundu Village Council (DVC).{{Cite web|url=https://www.newera.com.na/2016/07/27/divundu-village-council-appoints-ceo/|title=Divundu Village Council appoints CEO|date=2016-07-27|website=New Era Newspaper Namibia|access-date=2017-05-18}}
SWAPO won the 2015 local authority election and gained four seats (631 votes). The remaining seat went to the All People's Party (APP) with 68 votes.{{cite web | title=Local elections results | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | page=4 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | date=28 November 2015 | access-date=10 September 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210194328/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | archive-date=10 December 2015 | url-status=dead }} SWAPO also won the 2020 local authority election, obtaining 433 votes and gaining three seats. One seat each went to the APP (100 votes) and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, that gained 49 votes.{{Cite web | title=2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats | page=8 | date=29 November 2020 | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | url=https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Media-Release-on-LA-Results_2020.pdf | accessdate=14 January 2021 | archive-date=24 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124162938/https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Media-Release-on-LA-Results_2020.pdf | url-status=dead }}
Notable people
- Raphael Dinyando (1960–2013), former Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting{{cite news
|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=3333&page_type=story_detail
|title=Dinyando was a humble technocrat, says Mbambo
|last=Immanuel
|first=Shinovene
|date=6 September 2013
|work=The Namibian
|access-date=12 September 2013
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921102535/http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=3333&page_type=story_detail
|archive-date=21 September 2013
|url-status=dead
}}