Linyanti Constituency


Linyanti is a constituency in the Zambezi Region of Namibia. Its population is 13,741, and the area includes a large marshland. In August 2013, Linyanti Constituency lost its western part, which became a constituency of its own, namely Judea Lyaboloma Constituency.

Politics

The first councillor was Fani Francis Sizimbo, a Democratic Turnhalle Alliance member, who won the inaugural 1992 regional election and was in office until 1998. In the 1998 regional election the constituency was won by Lichaba John Ndubano in 1998. Ndubano, a SWAPO member, managed to move the SWAPO office from Linyanti to Sangwali. He did not support secessionism, and as a result was not liked in secessionist dominated areas.
In 2004 SWAPO was represented by Dorothy Kabula, and in 2010 by Cletius Sipapela, who successively won the constituency elections. In the 2015 regional election Sipapela was reelected with 1,480 votes, followed by Ivene Visitor Kabunga of the Rally for Democracy and Progress with 1,191 votes. Charles Wuyeni Matemwa of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance also ran and received 19 votes.

Traditional authorities

Linyanti is the only constituency in the region with three chiefs: Chief Mayuni of the Mashi Traditional Authority, chief Shufu of the Bayeyi and chief Mamili of the Mafwe. Over decades, Chief Mamili was the sole traditional authority in the constituency until the Bayeyi declared themselves an independent tribe in 1992 and Mayuni divorced himself in 1994 to form the Mashi Traditional Authority.