Oshikango
Encyclopedia
Oshikango is a village in northern Namibia
and a border post to Angola
. Since 2004 it is part of the town of Helao Nafidi
but still maintains its own village council. It is the district capital of the Oshikango Constituency
. Oshikango is estimated to having grown from "a tiny cluster of shebeen
s around an open market into a thriving boomtown with around 5,000 to 8,000 inhabitants over a period of 10 years".
1966 to 1989 between South Africa
and its allied forces (mainly UNITA
) and the Angolan government and South-West Africa People's Organisation
(SWAPO). After Namibian independence the settlement, along with many others in the area was proclaimed a village in 1996 in order to increase border trade.
an Export Processing Zone was established here, consisting of 14 warehouses. The nearby village of Omafo, also today a suburb of Helao Nafidi, hosts an annual trade show.
The parallel prevalence of land owned by the village of Oshikango, the town of Helao Nafidi, and land under traditional jurisdiction
has led to uncertainties about ownership that had to be settled in court.
There are some manufacturing companies like Fatima Plastic which donated a bridge to Engela hospital when there was a flood. Chicco, a building material wholesaler, has set up shop in Oshikango, and there are also big shop like Pick'n Pay and Fysal Fresh Produce. Villagers mainly feed on agriculture, bearing the risk of periodic drought
.
. By mid-2006, it had reached Ondangwa. A train called Omugulugwombashe Star traveled weekly on this track until the locomotives broke down after a few rounds of service. In 2008, a short extension across the border was proposed to bypass the congested border post. The next station to the south is Ohangwena.
Oshikango is very dirty, there's lots of air and noise pollution. It has a high crime rate, lots of street kids, and prevalent prostitution. Oshikango has few modern houses and no parking areas. There is no health infrastructure and no sewerage system. Residents have to travel long distance to go get medical help at Ohangwena or Engela. Lots of car accident take place. Villagers have called it the dirtiest place in the North
.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and a border post to Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. Since 2004 it is part of the town of Helao Nafidi
Helao Nafidi
Helao Nafidi is a town in Ohangwena Region in northern Namibia at the border to Angola. It has been established in 2004 as an amalgamation of several villages and settlements along the main road between Oshikango and Ohangwena which are both also part of the town. Helao Nafidi has 43,000 inhabitants...
but still maintains its own village council. It is the district capital of the Oshikango Constituency
Oshikango Constituency
Oshikango is a constituency in the Ohangwena Region of Namibia, on the border to Angola. It has 27,599 inhabitants, the district centre is the village of Oshikango....
. Oshikango is estimated to having grown from "a tiny cluster of shebeen
Shebeen
A shebeen was originally an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a licence.The term has spread far from its origins in Ireland, to Scotland, Canada, the United States, England,...
s around an open market into a thriving boomtown with around 5,000 to 8,000 inhabitants over a period of 10 years".
History
Oshikango belongs to an area that was heavily affected by the South African Border WarSouth African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
1966 to 1989 between South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and its allied forces (mainly UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
) and the Angolan government and South-West Africa People's Organisation
South-West Africa People's Organisation
The South West Africa People's Organization is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. It has been the governing party in Namibia since achieving independence in 1990...
(SWAPO). After Namibian independence the settlement, along with many others in the area was proclaimed a village in 1996 in order to increase border trade.
Economy
The border post between Namibia and Angola has brought business opportunities to Oshikango and the surrounding area. With the help of the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
an Export Processing Zone was established here, consisting of 14 warehouses. The nearby village of Omafo, also today a suburb of Helao Nafidi, hosts an annual trade show.
The parallel prevalence of land owned by the village of Oshikango, the town of Helao Nafidi, and land under traditional jurisdiction
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
has led to uncertainties about ownership that had to be settled in court.
There are some manufacturing companies like Fatima Plastic which donated a bridge to Engela hospital when there was a flood. Chicco, a building material wholesaler, has set up shop in Oshikango, and there are also big shop like Pick'n Pay and Fysal Fresh Produce. Villagers mainly feed on agriculture, bearing the risk of periodic drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
.
Transport
In mid 2005, the second stage of the new Northern Railway began construction to Oshikango from OshiveloOshivelo
- History :In early 2005, the first stage of the new Northern Railway was opened from Tsumeb, this section being 89km long. The next section runs to Oshikango near the Angolan border. The next section to be built may be to the iron ore mines at Cassinga....
. By mid-2006, it had reached Ondangwa. A train called Omugulugwombashe Star traveled weekly on this track until the locomotives broke down after a few rounds of service. In 2008, a short extension across the border was proposed to bypass the congested border post. The next station to the south is Ohangwena.
Life
Many buildings are occupied by Chinese people who have acquired vast stretches of land in the area. Senior headman Ingwafa complained in 2008 that "Oshikango [...] is on the verge of being sold completely to Chinese business people". The place also has a high population of people from Angola who come to do trade. Most of the people in Ovamboland move to Oshikango to go look for jobs and some of them are employed in those china shops. Oshikango helps most youth in the north as many of them are recruited in building and construction companies.Oshikango is very dirty, there's lots of air and noise pollution. It has a high crime rate, lots of street kids, and prevalent prostitution. Oshikango has few modern houses and no parking areas. There is no health infrastructure and no sewerage system. Residents have to travel long distance to go get medical help at Ohangwena or Engela. Lots of car accident take place. Villagers have called it the dirtiest place in the North
Ovamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
.