Divundu

{{Infobox settlement   |name = Divundu |other_name = |native_name =  |nickname = |settlement_type = Village |motto =  |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Namibia  |pushpin_label_position = bottom |pushpin_mapsize = 300 |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Namibia  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Namibia}} |subdivision_type1 = Region |subdivision_name1 = Kavango East |subdivision_type2 = Constituency |subdivision_name2 = Mukwe Constituency |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_party = SWAPO |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |established_title = Settled |established_date = 1850 |established_title1 = Declared settlement area |established_date1 = 2009 |established_title2 = Proclaimed village |established_date2 = 2015  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =  |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 =  |area_land_km2 =  |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi =  | population_as_of = 2023 | population_footnotes = <ref name=nsa2023/> | population_note = | population_total = 5,787 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title = Ethnicities |population_blank1 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  |timezone = SAST |utc_offset = +2 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{coord|18|7|S|21|37.5|E|region:NA|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = 1090 |elevation_ft =  |postal_code_type =  |postal_code = |area_code = +66 |blank_name = Climate |blank_info = BSh |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |registration_plate_type = Number plate |registration_plate = DV |footnotes = }}

thumb | right '''Divundu''' (1.090 m above sea level) is a village on the south-western banks of the Okavango River in the Kavango East Region of Namibia, {{Convert|200|km}} east of Rundu. Divundu is the homestead of the local Hambukushu kings and had a population of 5,787 inhabitants in 2023.

On the opposite, north-eastern banks of the river lies Kakutji in Angola, and the two settlements are linked via a nearby border post.

==Economy and infrastructure== Divundu is situated on the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Road, in Namibia designated the national road B8. It also connects south-east to Botswana via the C48.<ref>{{google maps |title=Divundu to Mohembo West, Botswana |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/DIvundu/Mohembo+West,+Botswana/@-18.1236725,21.6041161,4334m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x1be339c1e8c94911:0x6024994c8be2815c!2m2!1d21.5483207!2d-18.0971147!1m5!1m1!1s0x1bfcd4c1b3388e11:0x98e29882ef664d56!2m2!1d21.7897859!2d-18.2876171!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D |access-date=12 October 2024}}</ref> Divundu has a National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) office and issues the number plate <code>DV</code>.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Hamalwa | first=Festus | date=28 January 2025 | title=Five towns get green light to register vehicles | newspaper=New Era | url=https://neweralive.na/five-towns-get-green-light-to-register-vehicles/ | language=en-ZA}}</ref>

The Divundu Correctional Facility is one of Namibia's seven major prisons.<ref>{{Cite news | title=743 convicts in jail for rape | last=Vatileni | first=Eino | newspaper=The Namibian | date=15 February 2022 | page=1 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/743-convicts-in-jail-for-rape/}}</ref>

{{Historical populations|2011|746|2023|5,787|percentages=pagr|align=none|footnote=Sources:<ref name=nsa2023>{{cite web | title=4.5 Population by town and census years (2011 and 2023) | url=https://nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf | work=Namibia 2023 - Population and Housing Census. Main Report | publisher=Namibia Statistics Agency | access-date=10 February 2026 | pages=33–34}}</ref>}}

===Tourism=== Game drives to the nearby national park, Bwabwata National Park, which is well known for the diversity of wildlife in typical riverine and swampland habitat, are popular amongst tourists. Tourists frequent the many nearby lodges, which offer boat cruises to the Popa Falls, as well as camping facilities and guided village tours to the local villages.

==Politics== Divundu was declared a settlement area in 2009. In 2015 its status was upgraded to a village.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Establishment of certain area as local authority area and declaration thereof as Divundu Village: Local Authorities Act, 1992 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=5721 | page=2 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=1 April 2015 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2015/5721.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref> Since then, it is governed by a village council that has five seats.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Know Your Local Authority | publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research | newspaper=Election Watch | year = 2015 | issue=3 | page=4}}</ref> Athanasius Ndjamba Maghumbo is the CEO of Divundu Village Council (DVC).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newera.com.na/2016/07/27/divundu-village-council-appoints-ceo/|title=Divundu Village Council appoints CEO|date=2016-07-27|website=New Era Newspaper Namibia|access-date=2017-05-18}}{{dead link|date=November 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

SWAPO won the 2015 local authority election and gained four seats (631 votes). The remaining seat went to the All People's Party (APP) with 68 votes.<ref>{{cite web | title=Local elections results | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | page=4 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | date=28 November 2015 | access-date=10 September 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210194328/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | archive-date=10 December 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref> SWAPO also won the 2020 local authority election, obtaining 433 votes and gaining three seats. One seat each went to the APP (100 votes) and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, that gained 49 votes.<ref>{{Cite web | title=2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats | page=8 | date=29 November 2020 | publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia | url=https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Media-Release-on-LA-Results_2020.pdf | accessdate=14 January 2021 | archive-date=24 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124162938/https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Media-Release-on-LA-Results_2020.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Notable people== * Raphael Dinyando (1960–2013), former Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting<ref name=humble>{{cite news |url=http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=3333&page_type=story_detail |title=Dinyando was a humble technocrat, says Mbambo |last=Immanuel |first=Shinovene |date=6 September 2013 |work=The Namibian |access-date=12 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921102535/http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=3333&page_type=story_detail |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Populated places in Kavango East Category:Villages in Namibia