Usakos
Usakos
Okanduu | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
| Motto: | |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Region | Erongo Region |
| Constituency | Karibib Constituency |
| Established | 1900s |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 3,583 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (South African Standard Time) |
| Climate | BWh |
Usakos (Damara: grab the heel,[2] Otjiherero name: Okanduu[3]) is a town on the banks of river Khan, 140 kilometres north-east of Swakopmund in the Erongo Region of Namibia. It is located on the B2 (Trans-Kalahari Highway), the main road between the Walvis Bay and Johannesburg. The town has 3,000 inhabitants and owns 58 square kilometres (22 sq mi) of land.[4]
Surrounded by mountains, Usakos is quite picturesque. Certain spots around the town show the longest uninterrupted horizon in the world.[2] It is the closest town to the Spitzkoppe, often referred to as the "Matterhorn of Namibia".[5]
History
The settlement was founded in the early 1900s as a workshop and watering station for locomotives. Herero chief Samuel Maharero sold the land to Europeans who resold it in 1903 to the Otavi Minen- und Eisenbahngesellschaft (Otavi Mining and Railway Company) (OMEG) which operated an industrial railway line from Swakopmund to Tsumeb. OMEG established a railway station and a repair shop which was used until the 1960s. When mining operations slowed down, Usakos' importance faded quickly. Today it is just a drive-through from the Namibian inland to the coast.[5]
Historic buildings and structures in Usakos are the Roman Catholic church (erected 1905), the now dilapidated railway station building, and the old hotel.[5]
Development and infrastructure
Usakos is riddled with poverty and alcohol abuse, the current[update] unemployment rate is around 60%. Unlike other Namibian towns, it has not seen substantial development since independence in 1990.[6]
Usakos Railway Station connects the town to the Namibian railway network.
Politics
Usakos was downgraded from municipal to town status in 2010.[7] It is now[update] governed by a town council that has seven seats.[8]
Local authority results, 2010
In the 2010 local authority election, a total of 1,029 votes were cast in the city. SWAPO won with approximately 47% of the vote. Of the three other parties seeking votes in the election, UDF received approximately 31% of the vote, followed by RDP (17%) and COD (4%).[9]
Notable residents
Usakos is the hometown of the following prominent politicians:[6]
- Michael Goreseb, member of the National Assembly of Namibia
- Theo-Ben Gurirab Speaker of the National Assembly
- Tsudao Gurirab, Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2009
- Alpheus !Naruseb, Minister of Land and Resettlement
See also
References
- ^ "Table 4.2.2 Urban population by Census years (2001 and 2011)" (PDF). Namibia 2011 - Population and Housing Census Main Report. Namibia Statistics Agency. p. 39. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ^ a b Henckert, Wolfgang (17 September 2009). "Usakos". Henckert Tourist Centre.
- ^ Menges, Werner (12 May 2005). "Windhoek?! Rather make that Otjomuise". The Namibian.
- ^ "ELECTIONS 2010: Erongo regional profile". New Era. 16 November 2010.
- ^ a b c von Schmettau, Konny (28 February 2013). "Usakos-Kurze Blüte, schneller Fall". Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Tourismus Namibia monthly supplement. p. 9.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Ihuhua, Corry (12 September 2012). "Unemployment rips Usakos apart". Namibian Sun.
- ^ Hartman, Adam (27 Aug 2010). "Town regrading a 'sad move'". The Namibian.
- ^ "Know Your Local Authority". Election Watch. No. 3. Institute for Public Policy Research. 2015. p. 4.
- ^ Local Authority Election Results for Usakos
22°00′S 15°36′E / 22.000°S 15.600°E
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