- Source: Engela Constituency
Engela is an electoral constituency in the Ohangwena Region of northern Namibia. It had 21,341 inhabitants in 2004 and 13,743 registered voters in 2020. It is named after the settlement of Engela, today part of the town Helao Nafidi. Engela is home to one of the biggest hospitals in Namibia, Engela State Hospital.
Politics
As is common in all constituencies of former Ovamboland, Namibia's ruling SWAPO Party has dominated elections since independence. In the 2004 regional election SWAPO candidate Nghidinihamba Urias Ndilula received 6,774 of the 6,802 votes cast.
In the 2015 regional election SWAPO also won by a landslide. Its candidate Jason Ndakunda gathered 5,372 votes, while the only opposition candidate, Laban Kanyiki of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), received 574 votes. The 2020 regional election was also won by the SWAPO candidate. Elkan Hainghumbi received 4,431 votes, far ahead of Ngenokesho Nandeukeni of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, who obtained 867 votes.
Seasonal flooding
The constituency is usually affected by flood waters from Cunene Province in southern Angola when it receives good rainfall, leaving many areas submerged. This usually affects residents living in flood-prone areas in the constituency. Due to the flooding, six schools in the region were closed, subsequently leaving 4 146 learners trapped in their homes. Additionally, during flooding season, roads, buildings, and houses are also swept away while hundreds of livestock die, affecting the community's livelihood in the constituency.