Inhabitants of the Omatako Constituency in the Otjozondjupa Region on Wednesday suggested to the Fifth Boundaries Delimitation and Demarcation Commission that their constituency’s name be changed to Ovitoto Constituency.
The remarks were made in a consultative meeting with the commission at Otjiwarongo chaired by Judge Epafroditus Unengu, who said the aim of the meeting was to solicit oral submissions from residents on any possible changes they would like to see to the regional and constituency boundaries.
Shortly after Unengu’s presentation, the inhabitants of Omatako Constituency in a letter to the commission which they submitted through their constituency councillor Israel Hukura, stated that the name Omatako is derived from the Omatako mountains situated along the B1 road near Otjiwarongo, which is far from their area.
‘Therefore, we want it changed to Ovitoto Constituency as this was the name our ancestors named our area which is north-east of Okahandja,’ they stated.
The community members further su
ggested that their constituency be removed from the Otjozondjupa Region and attached to the Khomas Region, saying their settlement is situated about 60 kilometres from Windhoek, closer than Otjiwarongo which is situated about 270 kilometres away.
Other commissioners who attended along with Unengu are Penias Topnaar, Gerhardt Gurirab, Phanuel Kaapama and Prisca Anyolo.
Attendees were mostly government officials, traditional leaders and local authority councillors from different localities in the region.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency