Omuthiya
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Omuthiyagwiipundi
|other_name = Omuthiya (short form)
|native_name =
|nickname =
|settlement_type =
|motto =
|image_skyline = File:Omuthiya.JPG
|imagesize =
|image_caption = Open air market in Omuthiya
|image_flag =
|flag_size =
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield = Coat of arms Omuthiya Town Council.jpg
|shield_size =
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|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 = Oshikoto Region
|subdivision_type2 = Constituency
|subdivision_name2 = Omuthiyagwiipundi
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
|government_footnotes =
|government_type = Municipal council
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Johannes Ndeutepo
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
|established_title =
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|area_magnitude =
|unit_pref =Imperial
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 = 125
|area_land_km2 =
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|population_as_of = 2023
|population_footnotes = {{cite web | title=Table 4.2.2 Urban population by Census years (2001 and 2011) | url=http://cms.my.na/assets/documents/p19dmn58guram30ttun89rdrp1.pdf | work=Namibia 2011 - Population and Housing Census Main Report | publisher=Namibia Statistics Agency | access-date=24 August 2016 | page=39}}{{cite web|url=https://nsa.nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Preliminary-Report-doc-fn.pdf |title=2023 Population & Housing Census Preliminary Report|website=Statistics Namibia| df=dmy }}
|population_note =
|population_total = 7,560
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_density_sq_mi =
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|population_blank1_title =Ethnicities
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| timezone = SAST
| utc_offset = +2
|timezone_DST =
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|coordinates = {{coord|18|21.636|S|16|34.874|E|region:NA|display=inline}}
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = 1079
|elevation_ft =
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|postal_code =
|area_code =
|blank_name = Climate
|blank_info = BSh
|blank1_name =
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|website = http://www.omuthiyatc.org.na/
|footnotes =
}}
Omuthiyagwiipundi (short: Omuthiya) is the capital of Oshikoto Region in northern Namibia, situated approximately {{Convert|10|km}} from Etosha National Park. It has about 7,500 residents.{{cite news
|url = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=41420
|title = Omuthiya growing at a fast pace
|last = Heita
|first = Desie
|date = 31 October 2011
|newspaper = New Era
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120527150730/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=41420
|archive-date = 27 May 2012
|url-status = dead
}} Prior to Omuthiya, Tsumeb was the regional capital.{{cite news
|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=43587&no_cache=1
|title=Oshikoto Regional Council moves to Omuthiya
|last=Shivute
|first=Oswald
|date=21 August 2008
|newspaper=The Namibian}}
The town has been proclaimed in October 2007 and the Omuthiya Town Council established in September 2008.{{cite web | url=https://www.omuthiyatc.org.na/home-1/about-omuthiya/ | title=About Omuthiya - Omuthiya Town Council | date=16 June 2019 }}
Politics
Omuthiya is governed by a town council that has seven seats.{{Cite news | title=Know Your Local Authority | publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research | newspaper=Election Watch | year = 2015 | issue=3 | page=4}}
Oshikoto Region, to which Omuthiya belongs, is a stronghold of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party. In February 2008, the town was the center of an election controversy as SWAPO faced the Rally for Democracy and Progress in the town's first local authority election.[http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=44638&no_cache=1 Battlefield Omuthiya] The Namibian, 28 February 2008 In 2010, SWAPO won Omuthiya with approximately 92% of the votes.[http://www.ecn.na/results/2010/Press_Release_Local_Authority_-_Omuthiya.pdf Omuthiya Local Authority] Electoral Commission of Namibia For the 2015 local authority election no opposition party nominated a candidate, and SWAPO won uncontested.{{cite web | title=Local elections results | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | page=6 | 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 | url-status=dead | 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 }}
SWAPO only narrowly won the 2020 local authority election. It obtained 746 votes and gained four seats. The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, obtained 630 votes and gained three seats.{{Cite web | title=2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats | page=15 | 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 | access-date=25 January 2021}} Johannes Ndeutepo {{As of|2023|alt=is}} mayor of Omuthiya.{{Cite news | title=Northern re-elected mayors promise quality service delivery | last=Vatleni | first=Eino | newspaper=The Namibian | date=27 November 2023 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/northern-re-elected-mayors-promise-quality-service-delivery}}
References
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{{coord|18|21.636|S| 16|34.874|E|display=title|region:NA_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki}}