View source for Samora Machel Constituency

{{short description|Electoral constituency in the Khomas region of central Namibia}}
{{About|the electoral constituency|the politician|Samora Machel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
[[Image:Wahlkreis Samora Machel (2014).svg|thumb|Samora Machel constituency (red) in the [[Khomas Region]]]]

'''Samora Machel Constituency''' (formerly known as '''Wanaheda Constituency''') is a constituency in [[Windhoek]] in the [[Khomas|Khomas Region]] of central  [[Namibia]]. The constituency is located across four northern suburbs of [[Windhoek]]: [[Wanaheda]], [[Greenwell Matongo]], [[Goreangab]], and part of [[Havana, Windhoek|Havana]]. It had a population of 50,110 in 2011, up from 29,382 in 2001.<ref name =Census2011>{{cite web|url=https://cms2.my.na/assets/documents/p19dptss1ri5r1f2kt6i5931i31g.pdf |title=Khomas 2011 Census Regional Profile |accessdate=10 April 2020 |website=Statistics Namibia| df=dmy }}</ref> {{As of|2020}} it had 45,962 registered voters.<ref name=election2020>{{Cite web | title=Regional Council 2020 Election Results | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | date=18 January 2021 | series=''Interactive map'' | url=http://elections.na | accessdate=7 June 2021}}</ref>

Most of the residents of this constituency are formally unemployed and derive their income from informal employment and small enterprises like [[shebeen]]s and car washes. The impact of [[AIDS|HIV/AIDS]] is high.<ref name=profile>{{cite news
 |title       = ELECTIONS 2010: Khomas Region profile
 |last        = Kapitako
 |first       = Alvine
 |newspaper   = [[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]
 |date        = 12 November 2010
 |url         = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=14052
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://archive.today/20121205005928/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=14052
 |archivedate = December 5, 2012
}}</ref>

==Name change==
The area which made up the constituency was named [[Wanaheda]] during colonial times, an acronym for '[[Ovambo people|'''Wa'''mbos]], [[Nama people|'''Na'''mas]], [[Herero people|'''He'''reros]] and [[Damara people|'''Da'''maras]]', the four peoples that were [[Apartheid|allowed to live here]]. In 2003, following governmental and public recommendations, the constituency was renamed<ref name=GG2942>{{Cite news | title=Re-division of certain regions into constituencies: Regional Councils Act, 1992 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=2942 | page=20 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=28 March 2003 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2003/2942.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref> in honour of [[Mozambique|Mozambican]] President [[Samora Machel]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Constituency named after John Pandeni | last=Maletzky | first=Christof | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | date=27 August 2008 | url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200808270569.html | publisher=allafrica.com | url-access=subscription}}</ref> The suburb itself still carries the old name.

==Politics==
Wanaheda is traditionally a stronghold of the [[South West Africa People's Organization]] (SWAPO) party. The [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2004|2004 regional election]] was won by [[John Ya Otto Nankudhu]] (SWAPO) with 8,370 votes of the 10,105 votes cast.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Electoral Act, 1992: Notification of Result of General Election for Regional Councils | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=3366 | page=14 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=3 January 2005 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2005/3366.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref> Runners-up were Victoria Gawanas of the [[United Democratic Front (Namibia)|United Democratic Front]] (UDF, 594 votes), Fransiska Hipondoka of the [[Congress of Democrats]] (CoD, 475 votes), Gabriel Rukero of the [[National Unity Democratic Organisation]] (NUDO, 380 votes), and Adolf Kaurimuje of the [[Democratic Turnhalle Alliance]] (DTA, 201 votes).<ref>[http://www.ecn.gov.na/RSamoramachel.htm Samora Machel constituency] Electoral Commission of Namibia {{dead link|date=June 2024}}</ref>

The [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2015|2015 regional election]] were also won by SWAPO whose Fanuel San Shivute gained 8,774 votes. Tuyenikelao Kanyiki of the [[Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)|Rally for Democracy and Progress]] (RDP) finished distant second with 1,078 votes.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Regional Council Election Results 2015 | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | date=3 December 2015 | page=10 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208163948/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0 | archivedate=8 December 2015 }}</ref> The SWAPO candidate also won the [[2020 Namibian local and regional elections|2020 regional election]], albeit by a much smaller margin. Nestor Kalola received 4,802 votes. Erastus Kupololo of the [[Independent Patriots for Change]] (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, came second with 3,402 votes.<ref name=GG7654>{{Cite news | title=Publication of results and particulars in respect of general elections for Regional Councils: Electoral Act, 2014 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=7654 | page=10 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=8 October 2021 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2021/7654.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Constituencies of the Khomas Region}}
{{coord|22|31|07|S|17|02|13|E|region:NA_type:city(29000)|display=title}}

[[Category:Constituencies of Khomas Region]]
[[Category:Windhoek]]
[[Category:1992 establishments in Namibia]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1992]]