Omusati ( Ndonga : Mopane , after the dominant tree in the area) is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia , its capital is Outapi . The towns of Okahao , Oshikuku and Ruacana as well as the self-governed village Tsandi are situated in this region. As of 2020, Omusati had 148,834 registered voters.
13-737: The region is home to the Ruacana Falls , among the largest waterfalls in Africa, and the Omugulugwombashe heritage site, where the Namibian struggle for independence started in 1966. In the north, Omusati borders the Cunene Province of Angola . Domestically, it borders the following regions: The region got its name from the Mopane tree ( omusati : Ndonga : Mopane ) which is the dominant species in
26-529: A 120 metre deep and 700 metre wide gorge. This Namibia location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ruacana Ruacana is a town in the Omusati Region of northern Namibia and the district capital of the Ruacana electoral constituency . It is located on the border with Angola on the river Kunene . The town is known for the picturesque Ruacana Falls nearby, and for
39-577: Is a waterfall located in Ruacana , Omusati on the Kunene River in Northern Namibia . The waterfall is 120 meters (390 ft) high and 700 meters (2,300 ft) wide in full flood. It is among the largest waterfalls in Africa , both by volume and width. The Ruacana Falls is formed by the 1,050 km (650 mi) long Kunene river, which marks part of the border between Namibia and Angola , plunging into
52-576: Is far more densely populated than the south, where the grazing is of poor quality and the water is generally saline . This is primarily an agricultural region where mahangu, also known as pearl millet, is successfully grown. A canal carries water from the Ruacana river to Oshakati , passing through Outapi . Water from this canal has been used to irrigate a large, government-run farm at Etunda where crops from maize to watermelon to bananas are grown. The electrical network covers towns including Outapi, Ruacana, Tsandi , Oshikuku , and Okahao . The region
65-598: Is now governed by a town council that has seven seats. The 2015 local authority election was won by SWAPO which gained six seats and 826 votes. The remaining seat went to the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) which gained 53 votes. SWAPO also won the 2020 local authority election . It obtained 603 votes and gained five seats. The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, obtained 192 votes and gained
78-551: Is traversed by a high standard trunk road which provides a direct link to adjacent regions and the rest of the country. Although passenger and freight transport along this route is easy, the rest of this road network, in common with all the communal areas of northern Namibia, is of poor quality. Okahao and Outapi both have small hospitals, and a network of clinics provides basic services. Only 17% of households in Omusati have access to improved sanitation (toilet facilities) . According to
91-461: The 2004 parliamentary election , and again with 98% in the 2014 election . In the 2004 regional election for the National Assembly of Namibia , SWAPO won in all constituencies by a landslide. In Anamulenge and Otamanzi no opposition party even nominated a candidate. The 2015 local and regional elections saw SWAPO obtain 99.4% of the total votes ( 2010 : 99.0) and win uncontested eight of
104-473: The Ruacana Power Station . The place receives annual average rainfall of 426 millimetres (16.8 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season, 960 millimetres (38 in) of rain was measured. The 600 hectares (1,500 acres) farm Etunda is situated near Ruacana. It is run as a government supported irrigation scheme and was established in 1993. Half of the farm is commercial irrigation land, while
117-535: The 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Region is 28.9%. Omusati has 274 schools with a total of 86,365 pupils. The governor of Omusati since 2015 is Erginus Endjala . The region comprises twelve constituencies: Electorally, Omusati region is consistently dominated by the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO). For instance, Omusati voters selected SWAPO with 97.68% of their votes in
130-614: The other half is allocated to 82 small-scale farmers. Etunda cultivates maize, wheat, watermelons, bananas, and other produce. Ruacana was developed around the Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station , a major underground hydroelectric plant linked to the nearby dam across the border in Angola at Calueque . The dam and pumping station were bombed in a Cuban airstrike in 1988, during the Angolan Civil War . The facility
143-456: The region. The Makalani palms decrease rapidly westwards from the border with Oshana region. The change in vegetation type reflects ecological conditions forming a natural boundary between the two regions. The region is home to the Ruacana Falls . The waterfall is 120 meters (390 ft) high and 700 meters (2,300 ft) wide in full flood and is among the largest waterfalls in Africa, both by volume and width. The northern part of Omusati
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#1732858461105156-577: The twelve Omusati constituencies, and two of the five towns. The remaining four constituencies SWAPO won by a landslide, with results ranging from 89% (Ruacana) to 98% (Ogongo). Although SWAPO's support dropped to 86.5% of the total votes in the 2020 regional election , it again won all constituencies by a large margin. 18°24′S 14°48′E / 18.400°S 14.800°E / -18.400; 14.800 Ruacana Falls 17°23′37″S 14°13′1″E / 17.39361°S 14.21694°E / -17.39361; 14.21694 Ruacana Falls
169-499: Was partially repaired and today NamPower operates three turbines producing a maximum of 240 megawatts . Ovazemba and Ovahimba people are native to the area. The name Ruacana originated from one of the first settlers in Ruacana called Ruhakana. The town was therefore named after a Mr Ruhakana, although it is currently written as "Ruacana". Ruacana's settlement status was upgraded to village in 2005, and to town in 2010. It
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