Omaheke Region

Omaheke is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia, its capital is Gobabis. It lies on the eastern border of Namibia and is the Western extension of the Kalahari desert. The name Omaheke is the Herero word for Sandveld.CharacteristicsA large part of this region is known as the Sandveld. The northeastern part of the region is still very much wilderness.Anthropologically, almost the entire Ovambanderu and Gobabis-Ju/wa ethnic groups reside in the region. Furthermore, it is a rich cultural area for Herero, Damara-Nama, Tswana, Afrikaner and German, with a sprinkling of northerners.A notable event is the annual Meat Festival.HistoryOn 11 August 1904, a German armed force with artillery and machine guns, which had encircled the Herero who had fled to the Waterberg in Namibia, attacked and forced the survivors to flee to the Omaheke desert, where large numbers died. Those who tried to emerge from the desert were killed by German patrols along the perimeter of the Omaheke. This was the turning point in the Herero and Namaqua Genocide.PoliticsLaura McLeod-Katjirua of SWAPO was Governor of Omaheke Region from 2001 to 2012, when she was transferred to the same position at Khomas Region. Festus Ueitele was appointed as her successor in April 2013.