Otjiwarongo (Otjiherero: "pleasant place"
or "place where fat cattle graze") is a
town of 20,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia, some 200
km north of Namibia's capital. It is the district capital of the
Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital of Otjozondjupa.
Otjiwarongo is situated in central-north Namibia on the TransNamib railway.
It is the biggest business centre for Otjozondjupa Region. Otjiwarongo is
located on the B1 road and its links between Windhoek, the Golden Triangle
of
Otavi, Tsumeb and
Grootfontein, and Etosha National Park.
It is one of
Namibia’s fast growing towns, with a neat and peaceful quality environment,
and many excellent facilities including supermarkets, banks, lodges and
hotels. Some of Namibia's best-known private game farms and nature reserves
are located in and around the town. Otjibamba Lodge, an afro-colonial style
lodge, is situated on the southern side of the town near the Otjiwarongo
Golf Course.
Otjiwarongo is one of Namibia's towns with a large population of
German-speaking people. German influence is also evident on its Germanic
buildings. The school "Donatus School Otjiwarongo" (D.S.O.) was once known
as "Deutsche Schule Otjiwarongo".
History
The Herero people were the original settlers of this area, and they called
the place Otjiwarongo, meaning "Place
Where Fat Cattle Graze". The name is
appropriate as Otjiwarongo is home to some of the biggest cattle-breeding
companies in Namibia. German Namibians first settled in Otjiwarongo in 1900.
A bloody war was fought in the area between the Hereros and the Germans in
1904 where many of the tribes people died. The Hereros where the only
African settlers in the town until 1906 when few amount of Ovambo and Damara
tribes migrated to the town for settlement. This happened when Otjiwarongo
was established as an administration point for the Germans and officially
became a town. A narrow-gauge railway was built from Swakopmund on the
coast, to the Otavi copper mine which helped Otjiwarongo became a prosperous
agricultural centre. The three tribes where separated like in many of
Namibia's towns, where each lived in a separate neighborhood such as Ovambo
Location, Damara Location and Herero Location respectively. The three
locations together made up the suburb of Orwetoveni.
The main interest for tourists is Otjiwarongo's proximity to the Waterberg Plateau Park. Otjiwarongo is home to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, an
internationally-recognized organization dedicated to ensuring the long-term
survival of the cheetah through research, conservation and education. Also
about 50 miles from Otjiwarongo is Okonjima, the home of the Africat
Foundation, a successful cheetah and leopard rehabilitation centre, with
viewing made possible by staying at the adjacent Okonjima Lodge. On the edge
of town is the Crocodile Ranch, one of the few captive breeding programs for
the Nile Crocodile that has been registered with CITES. The ranch exports
the skins, but sells the meat locally. Also in town is Locomotive No. 41,
originally brought from Germany to haul ore between Tsumeb and the port at
Swakopmund.
It is home to 20 percent of the world's cheetahs, mostly on private ranch
land.
Built 15 km outside of town, the Omatjenne Dam provides artificial recharge
of local groundwater.
YouTube video: Rhenish mission station ruins at Waterberg:
Education
The town of Otjiwarongo
operates six primary schools, three high schools and
junior high schools. There are about eleven schools in Otjiwarongo, five
private schools and six public schools. All schools final exams for grade 10
and 12 are regulated by the Ministry of Education. The schools of
Otjiwarongo attract more and more non-resident students. "Otjiwarongo
Secondary School" is rated as one of Namibia's best schools, with students
reaching overall top number one student for the grade 12 Cambridge
examination. Over the years many students have reached the top five. Many of
the students who graduate from this school study at Stellenbosch University,
University of South Africa, University of Cape Town and the University of
Namibia. "Deutsche Schule Otjiwarongo" is also rated as one of the best
schools in Namibia.
There are also a number of institution for higher education in the town such
as the "Monotronics Success College" which offers basic courses such as
computer, accounting, marketing, business administration and many other. "MTI"
and "COSDEC" are one of the two most popular vocational institutions in the
town. There are many other institutions that covers the fields of art and
culture. Theres is also a convent institution for Nuns. The Polytechnic of
Namibia and the University of Namibia had plans to build their central
campuses in the town, the two institutions already have their regional
centers in the town where distance students interact with the two
institutions respectively.
Otjiwarongo State Hospital is the biggest hospital in the town, it is mostly
used by the middle and low income residents. A number of private clinics and
hospitals are also present in the town, this includes the ever popular
MediCity Private Clinic.
Language
About 90% of the town’s residents speaks and understand Afrikaans. About 75%
speaks English and 35% German. Other languages includes indigenous languages
like Otjiherero, Damara-nama and Oshiwambo.
Sport
Mighty Gunners FC is the town's major football team. Mokati Stadium, the
smallest of two stadiums in Otjiwarongo, is located in Orwetoveni and its
the main football stadium in town. There are also grounds for basketball,
netball, and tennis. The largest, Paresis Park also known as The Show
Ground, is located in the upper suburb of the town. It is the towns biggest
sport ground and one of the biggest in Namibia. It has two soccer fields and
two rugby fields. There is also grounds for hockey, tennis, netball and
cricket. The park is also used to hold sport tournaments and business events
such as the Otjiwarongo Trade Show.
In 2011, it host the main event of the 21st Independence Celebrations of
Namibia.
Transport and Transport infrastructure
The town connects to the South, Okahandja through to Windhoek, to the North,
Otavi through to Ondangwa and Oshakati, to the West, Kalkfeld through to
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and to the North-West, Outjo through to Opuwo.
Taxi is one of the towns main transportation. Some people make use of the
municipal bus service to get to work, while others use their private cars.
Otjiwarongo is the junction for the branch railway to Outjo.
Otjiwarongo has a well-developed road network as well as an air strip. There
are plans to develop an international airport. The Trans-Caprivi highway
also passes through Otjiwarongo. The railway line links other towns:
Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Tsumeb and Oshikango. On many occasions the Council has
budgeted for upgrading roads in the town. Today Otjiwarongo is one of the
few towns that has tarred roads even in the townships.
or "place where fat cattle graze") is a
town of 20,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia, some 200
km north of Namibia's capital. It is the district capital of the
Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital of Otjozondjupa.
Where Fat Cattle Graze". The name is
appropriate as Otjiwarongo is home to some of the biggest cattle-breeding
companies in Namibia. German Namibians first settled in Otjiwarongo in 1900.
A bloody war was fought in the area between the Hereros and the Germans in
1904 where many of the tribes people died. The Hereros where the only
African settlers in the town until 1906 when few amount of Ovambo and Damara
tribes migrated to the town for settlement. This happened when Otjiwarongo
was established as an administration point for the Germans and officially
became a town. A narrow-gauge railway was built from Swakopmund on the
coast, to the Otavi copper mine which helped Otjiwarongo became a prosperous
agricultural centre. The three tribes where separated like in many of
Namibia's towns, where each lived in a separate neighborhood such as Ovambo
Location, Damara Location and Herero Location respectively. The three
locations together made up the suburb of Orwetoveni.
operates six primary schools, three high schools and
junior high schools. There are about eleven schools in Otjiwarongo, five
private schools and six public schools. All schools final exams for grade 10
and 12 are regulated by the Ministry of Education. The schools of
Otjiwarongo attract more and more non-resident students. "Otjiwarongo
Secondary School" is rated as one of Namibia's best schools, with students
reaching overall top number one student for the grade 12 Cambridge
examination. Over the years many students have reached the top five. Many of
the students who graduate from this school study at Stellenbosch University,
University of South Africa, University of Cape Town and the University of
Namibia. "Deutsche Schule Otjiwarongo" is also rated as one of the best
schools in Namibia.
