Omuthiya

Omuthiyagwiipundi (short: Omuthiya) is the capital of Oshikoto Region in northern Namibia, situated approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Etosha National Park. It has about 7,500 residents.^[4] Prior to Omuthiya, Tsumeb was the regional capital.^[5] The town has been proclaimed in October 2007 and the Omuthiya Town Council established in September 2008.^[6]

Omuthiyagwiipundi Omuthiya (short form)
Open air market in Omuthiya
Coat of arms
Omuthiyagwiipundi Location in Namibia
Coordinates: 18°21.636′S 16°34.874′E
Country	Namibia
Region	Oshikoto Region
Constituency	Omuthiyagwiipundi
Government
• Type	Municipal council
• Mayor	Johannes Ndeutepo[1]
Area
• Total	48 sq mi (125 km2)
Elevation	3,540 ft (1,079 m)
Population  (2023)[2][3]
• Total	7,560
• Density	160/sq mi (60/km2)
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Climate	BSh
Website	http://www.omuthiyatc.org.na/

Politics

Omuthiya is governed by a town council that has seven seats.^[7]

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.^[8] In 2010, SWAPO won Omuthiya with approximately 92% of the votes.^[9] For the 2015 local authority election no opposition party nominated a candidate, and SWAPO won uncontested.^[10]

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.^[11] Johannes Ndeutepo is^[update] mayor of Omuthiya.^[1]