Okalongo Constituency
{{short description|Electoral constituency in the Omusati region of northern Namibia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
File:Wahlkreis Okalongo (2014).svg
Okalongo Constituency (until 1998 Okalonga Constituency){{Cite news | title=Re-division of certain regions into constituencies: Regional Councils Act, 1992 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=1940 | page=10 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=31 August 1998 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/1998/1940.pdf | format=pdf}} is an electoral constituency in the Omusati Region of Namibia, located on the border with Angola. It had 16,031 registered voters {{As of|2020|alt=in 2020}}.{{Cite web | title=Regional Council 2020 Election Results | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | date=18 January 2021 | series=Interactive map | url=http://elections.na | accessdate=30 October 2021}}
Okalongo Constituency covers an area of {{Convert|657|sqkm|abbr=on}}. It had a population of 30,609 in 2011, up from 28,719 in 2001.{{cite web | title=Chapter 2: Population Structure, Composition and Density | url=https://cms.my.na/assets/documents/p19dptss1qjep16pd1d0utqf1uq84.pdf | work=Omusati 2011 Census Regional Profile | publisher=Namibia Statistics Agency | access-date=29 January 2025 | page=4}} The capital of the constituency is the settlement of Okalongo. Other villages within the constituency include Onandjaba, Omatwadiva, Onaidjimba, Okafitu Kauvale, Olwiili, Ongolo, Ondudu, Onembaba, Ondobe Yehumba, Ondobe Yefidi, Ohakapeke, Olupandu, Epoko, Olupito, Oupale, Oshuundje, Okathitu Konghai, Oikango, Onalumbololo, Uushwa, Orange ya Nashimbuli, Omutundungu, Oshiteyatemo, Aanongo, Ombwana, Eshwa la Hamukwaya, and Onambome.
Politics
Like all other constituencies in Omusati, Okalongo Constituency is traditionally a stronghold of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) party. In the 2004 regional election, SWAPO politician Haikella Jhonny Hakaye won the election, receiving 9,841 of the 9,897 votes cast.{{Cite news | title=Electoral Act, 1992: Notification of Result of General Election for Regional Councils | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=3366 | page=6 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=3 January 2005 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2005/3366.pdf | format=pdf}}
SWAPO also won by a landslide in the 2015 regional election. Laurentius Iipinge secured 6,923 votes, while Simson Nangolo of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) received only 80 votes.{{Cite web | title=Regional Council Election Results 2015 | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | date=3 December 2015 | page=17 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208163948/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0 | url-status=dead | archive-date=8 December 2015 }}
Councillor Iipinge (SWAPO) was reelected in the 2020 regional election, obtaining 5,667 votes. His closest competitor, Josua Mwetupunga of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC, an opposition party formed in August 2020), received 1,281 votes.
Education
Primary schools in Okalongo Constituency include Lucas Damascus Primary School, Ondeipanda Primary School, Ouvale Primary School, St Gabriel Primary School, Elao Primary School, and Eshakeno Primary School. Secondary schools include Haudano Senior Secondary School and Tomas Tutaleni Senior Secondary School. Other schools in the constituency include Oshaaluwata Combined School, Onembaba Combined School, John Shekundja Combined School, Onkambadhala Combined School, Epoko Combined School, Oshatotwa Combined School, and Sheetekela Combined School.
References
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{{Constituencies of the Omusati Region}}
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Category:Constituencies of Omusati Region