Oshikango

Not to be confused with Otjikango.

Oshikango
—  village  —
Oshikango Location in Namibia
Coordinates: 17°24′S 15°53′E / 17.4°S 15.883°E / -17.4; 15.883
Country	Namibia
Region	Ohangwena Region
Region	Oshikango Constituency
Elevation	3,606 ft (1,099 m)
Time zone	South African Standard Time (UTC+1)

Oshikango is a village in northern Namibia and a border post to Angola. Since 2004 it is part of the town of Helao Nafidi^[1] 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 shebeens around an open market into a thriving boomtown with around 5,000 to 8,000 inhabitants over a period of 10 years".^[2]

History

Oshikango belongs to an area that was heavily affected by the South African Border War 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.^[3]

Economy

The border post between Namibia and Angola has brought business opportunities to Oshikango and the surrounding area. With the help of the European Union 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.^[3]

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.^[3]

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.^{[citation needed]}

Transport

In mid 2005, the second stage of the new Northern Railway began construction to Oshikango from Oshivelo. 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.^[4] In 2008, a short extension across the border was proposed to bypass the congested border post.^[5] 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".^[2] 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]} Villagers have called it the dirtiest place in the North.^[6]

External links

• Map of Oshikango

References

1. ^ Shivute, Oswald (26 September 2006). "Transition to modern town life tough for villagers". The Namibian. http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=30318&no_cache=1. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Niikondo, Andrew (August 2010). "Potential of friction in border town developments: A case study of Oshikango in the Helao Nafidi Town Council, Northern Namibia". Journal of US-China Public Administration 7 (8). ISSN 1548-6591. http://www.managers.org.cn/mag/doc/ucman201008/ucman20100802.pdf. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Helao Nafidi Handelskou [Helao Nafidi Trade Show]" (in Afrikaans). Die Republikein. 9 November 2007. http://www.republikein.com.na/politik-en-nationale/helao-nafidi-handelskou.58757.php. 
4. ^ "Chinese rails for Oshikango railway". The Namibian. 13 November 2009. http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2009/november/article/chinese-rails-for-oshikango-railway/. 
5. ^ "Govt extends rail link into Angola". The Namibian. 6 October 2008. http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=49977&no_cache=1. 
6. ^ "(No title)" (in Afrikaans). Die Republikein. 28 February 2008. http://www.republikein.com.na/politiek-en-nasionale/hoewel-die-oshikango-gedeelte-van-helao-nafidi.63485.php. 

Coordinates: 17°24′S 15°53′E / 17.4°S 15.883°E / -17.4; 15.883