In Oshiwambo, the language of the Ovambo, the town's name means "that which is in between", although some believe that the name was used to refer to the broadcast tower, the tallest structure downtown and in Namibia. Oshakati is one of Namibia's largest cities and it is located near the B1, Namibia's main highway, which stretches from South Africa through the capital Windhoek and on to the Angolan border. The Oshakati town, is within the Kwambi traditional authority. In February 1988, a bomb blast occurred in Oshakati at the First National Bank, killing 27 people and badly injuring nearly 30 others, most of them nurses and teachers. No one was ever officially convicted of the bombing and the issue was dropped upon independence in 1990 in favour of national reconciliation.
Development and infrastructure
Oshakati has experienced much development since Namibia achieved independence on March 21, 1990. In April 2006, the Oshakati Town Council building was inaugurated by Botswana's President Festus Mogae. The Oshana Regional Study and Resource Center was established on September 17, 2014, through the assistance of the Millennium Challenge Account Namibia. Situated between the GIPF house and the Social Security regional head office in Oshakati, the library can host up to 600 people, has 220 study spaces, a meeting hall that can accommodate 125 seated people, a video conferencing room, and shelving spaces for up to 35,000 books. Oshakati has a football team, Oshakati City FC. Formerly known as the Northern Campus, Oshakati Campus is the oldest satellite campus of the University of Namibia, inaugurated on 7 May 1998 by His Excellency, Dr Sam S. Nujoma, the Founding President of the Republic of Namibia and UNAM founding Chancellor. Many primary and secondary schools are to be found in Oshakati, e.g. Iipumbu, Oshakati, Ngolo, Erundu Secondary School, Cabatana and others, including Afoti Combined School in Uuvudhiya constituency in Oshana Region in the Omapopo cluster of Oshakati Circuit. Since the turn of the century, there are now many shops like Jet, Mr Price, furniture stores, shoes stores, pharmacies, etc. The three main shopping centres are Game, Etango, and Yetu. There is also Oshakati Independence Stadium and University of Namibia northern campus. Dr. Frans Aupa Indongo Open Market consists of seasonal market spaces, formal fresh food markets, formal cooked food markets. The following groceries are available at the market: tomato, onion, watermelon, meat, dried fish and dried edible caterpillars.
Geography
Location
Oshakati is situated in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin and cut by the Okatana River. Both of these geographic features make the town prone to flooding; in 2008 it was last hit by heavy floods. The Oshakati Master Plan Project is underway to build a dike around the town, to deepen and straighten the river, and to resettle people living near the riverbed and clogging the flow of water.
Climate
Oshakati has a semi-arid climate, with hot summers and relatively mild winters. The average annual precipitation is, with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer.
Politics
Oshakati is governed by a town council that has seven seats. Oshana Region, to which Oshakati belongs, is a stronghold of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party. In the 2015 local authority election SWAPO won by a landslide and gained six council seats. The remaining seat went to the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance which gained 330 votes. Major Katrina Shimbulu from SWAPO has been serving in this position from 2007 to 2010, and again after the 2015 election.
Culture
Oshakati Town Council hosts the annual Oshakati Totem Expo, which combines the celebration of local traditions with a modern business exhibition. The event was launched by Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa, on 9 June 2012. It takes place annually for a period of four days in the months of June or July.
