Samora Machel Constituency (formerly known as Wanaheda Constituency) is a constituency in
Windhoek
Windhoek (; ; ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek, which ...
in the
Khomas Region
Khomas is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia. Its name refers to the Khomas Highland, a high plateau landscape that dominates this administrative subdivision. Khomas is centered on the capital city Windhoek and provides for this reason superio ...
of central
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
. The constituency is located across four northern suburbs of
Windhoek
Windhoek (; ; ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek, which ...
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.shebeens and car washes. The impact of
HIV/AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
is high.
Name change
The area which made up the constituency was named Wanaheda during colonial times, an acronym for ' Wambos, Namas, Hereros and Damaras', the four peoples that were allowed to live here. In 2003, following governmental and public recommendations, the constituency was renamed in honour of Mozambican President
Samora Machel
Samora Moisés Machel (29 September 1933 – 19 October 1986) was a Mozambique, Mozambican politician and revolutionary. A Socialism, socialist in the tradition of Marxism–Leninism, he served as the first President of Mozambique from the coun ...
. The suburb itself still carries the old name.
Politics
Wanaheda is traditionally a stronghold of the
South West Africa People's Organization
The South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO ; , SWAVO; , SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former independence movement in Namibia (formerly South West Africa). Founded in 1960, it has been ...
John Ya Otto Nankudhu
John ya Otto Nankudhu (1933–2011, Pseudonym#Nom de guerre, nom de guerre: ''Koshiwanda'', the surname is sometimes also spelled Nankugu) was a Namibian guerrilla, army officer and politician. He was the commander of the forces of the People' ...
(SWAPO) with 8,370 votes of the 10,105 votes cast. Runners-up were Victoria Gawanas of the United Democratic Front (UDF, 594 votes), Fransiska Hipondoka of the
Congress of Democrats
The Congress of Democrats (CoD) is a Namibian opposition party without representation in the National Assembly and was led by Ben Ulenga from 2004 to 2015. It was established in 1999, prior to that year's general elections, and started off w ...
(CoD, 475 votes), Gabriel Rukero of the
National Unity Democratic Organisation
The National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) is a political party in Namibia. It has been represented in the National Assembly of Namibia and in the National Council of Namibia since it split from the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (now PDM ...
(NUDO, 380 votes), and Adolf Kaurimuje of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA, 201 votes).
The 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 (RDP) finished distant second with 1,078 votes. The SWAPO candidate also won the 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.