Outjo


Outjo is a city of 6,000 inhabitants in the Kunene Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of Outjo Constituency. It is best known as a main gateway to Etosha National Park.

Overview

The town was founded by Germans under the command of Colonel Theodor von Leutwein in 1897 as a small military base in order to explore the northern area of German South West Africa. The local historical museum details the campaign of Major Viktor Franke in Ovamboland.
The "Naulila monument" commemorates the small expedition on the Portuguese fort of Naulila in Angola by Major Viktor Franke in October 1914 following the massacre of a German delegation which had been sent to negotiate a treaty of non-aggression.
South of Outjo is the Ugab River, one of the major rivers of Namibia. The town lies near Gamkarab Cave, known for its stalactites and stalagmites and its pietersite. The caves are on private ground and not open to the public.

Politics

Outjo is governed by a municipal council that has seven seats.
The 2015 local authority election was won by SWAPO which gained four seats. Two seats went to the United Democratic Front, and the remaining seat was won by the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance with 381 votes.

Transport

Situated on the C38 southwest of Anderson Gate, Outjo is the gateway to the Etosha National Park. Damaraland is also reached by travelling through Outjo on the C39 to Khorixas, and the C40 towards Kamanjab leads to the Kaokoveld.
Outjo has an airstrip about out of town that accommodates small fixed-winged planes. Outjo is the terminus of a branch railway of the Namibian railway system, but there is no railway service.

Schools

Immediately in Outjo are three primary schools and two secondary schools as well as a combined private school with a total of 2634 students and 96 teachers.
The following schools are located in the vicinity of the city:
Outjo offers some sights, but it is above all an important tourist transit and supply point. In 2006, more than 22,000 tourists were counted per month.
Near the city is fingerlike rock formation created through erosion called Vingerklip.