Oshakati Ongwediva merger is inevitable, says former governor

The proposed merger of Oshakati and Ongwediva into one municipality has been described as a necessary step to keep pace with northern Namibia’s rapid urban growth.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, former Oshana governor Elia Irimari said the two towns have grown into one continuous urban area, making the idea of a single municipality increasingly practical.

He said expanding settlements can no longer afford to operate as separate local authorities, adding that years ago, he had tried to suggest the idea.

The debate follows calls by activist Tangy Tshilongo to merge Oshakati and Ongwediva into a single municipality, arguing that Oshakati has evolved into Oshana’s commercial, administrative and economic hub, making separate councils increasingly unnecessary.

Tshilongo says he intends to formally submit the proposal to both town councils and Oshana governor Hofni Iipinge.

“You look at the population growth, business expansion and the demand for improved service delivery, these are inevitable developments. You cannot continue running small municipalities next to fast-growing towns forever,” Irimari said.

He said he believes a unified municipality would strengthen economic development by creating a larger tax base, attracting investment and improving planning.

He said combining the towns would allow authorities to better coordinate infrastructure such as water networks, roads, public amenities and future industrial developments.

“If Oshakati and Ongwediva become one settlement, there will be more economic opportunities, more businesses, more innovation and better services. This is happening across the world as towns continue to grow,” he said.

According to him, northern Namibia should also begin planning for future infrastructure expansion, including industrial areas and transport facilities, instead of maintaining fragmented local authorities.

This is how cities are created. At the end of the day, we should be proud to build strong cities in northern Namibia, Irimari added.

However, urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa says the proposal has not yet reached his office.

“I reserve my comment as I am not privy to the matter,” Sankwasa says, adding that he would only comment once the proposal is formally submitted.

Iipinge has also distanced himself from the discussion, saying no such matter has been presented through the region’s official structures.

“We have systems and processes put in place by authorities. I am not privy to discussions of that nature from the leadership of the Oshana region,” he says.

Oshakati mayor Leonard Hango says the proposal is not impossible if it follows the proper legal processes, but questions whether Oshakati and Ongwediva should be the primary focus.

He argues that Ondangwa and Oniipa present a stronger case for consolidation because their boundaries are even less distinguishable.

“If you are in Ondangwa or Oniipa, it is difficult to tell where one town starts and the other ends,” Hango says.

He says any discussion on municipal mergers should also include those two councils because of their close proximity.

He emphasises this process must be informed by the 1992 Local Authority Act.

Ongwediva founding mayor Erastus Uutoni, who served from 1998 to 2010, says neighbouring town councils are not necessarily a problem, arguing that smaller local authorities can often respond more quickly to residents’ needs.

He pointed to other African countries metropolitan municipality models as an example Namibia could study if it chooses to pursue larger urban administrations.

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