When the historic government-owned Newman Katuta Stadium in Opuwo was controversially sold to a northern businessman in 2013, the town’s youth felt betrayed. To many, it was a sign their leaders no longer cared about their interests and future.

Some compared the move to the biblical betrayal: a ‘Judas moment’ in which a place of purpose and pride was traded for silver.

The stadium had been Opuwo’s only one, equipped with four pavilions, two dressing rooms, a caretaker’s house, and netball and volleyball courts. These were facilities the youth felt had been ripped away from them.

Without organised sport or recreational spaces, many young people had no outlet for their energy and ambition. In the vacuum, some turned to alcohol and drug abuse. The community’s morale sank, and the once vibrant, promising youth drifted toward despair.

The damage did not stop there. The loss of structured recreation contributed to a wider social crisis.

Opuwo’s two senior secondary schools (Mureti and Putuavanga), once regarded as centres of academic excellence, have faded from regional and national recognition.

In the results for the National Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary for both 2023 and 2024, no students from the two schools achieved recognition for national academic excellence. Additionally, Kunene was ranked last among the 14 regions in the country.

Moreover, there has been a significant increase in teenage pregnancies, particularly among students. This predicament has been exacerbated by high levels of poverty and widespread unemployment.

Media reports indicated that Opuwo recorded 225 cases of teenage pregnancies in 2024, with the youngest mother being only 13 years old. Currently, Kunene has the second-highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Namibia, following Kavango West, which has a rate of 23.9%.

In a town where the number of liquor establishments appears to outpace schools, bars have become the most visible symbol of development.

If media reports are anything to go by, there are over 40 licensed liquor establishments in Opuwo, all located within a three-kilometre radius of the town centre.

Yet hope is not lost. A decade later, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

Promising 

In 2022, after years of public outcry and anticipation, the Opuwo Town Council made a bold decision to revive sport by building a new Newman Katuta Stadium.

The new stadium is more than just a structure; it is a beacon of hope for a town hungry for change.

The reopening marked the return of organised football to Opuwo and the wider Kunene Region. Now, the stadium fills up on weekends as four local teams battle it out in the Namport Kunene Regional Second Division Football League.

The highly contested league comprises 12 teams, including title contenders Khaibasen FC and the boys in uniform, Kunene NamPol FC. Other teams include Green Dangers FC, Epupa Zebra Stars FC, Golden Wolves FC, !Ugab FC, Etosha United FC, Young Eagles FC, Grootberg United FC, Okarindi Komutati FC, Sixty Eleven FC, and the fan favourites, Robber Chanties FC.

Sport in Opuwo is proving to be more than entertainment. It has become the social antidote to the very issues that have plagued the town: alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy, and academic decline.

For young people, football provides discipline, structure, and a sense of belonging. It gives a constructive way to channel their energy and avoid harmful activities.

The benefits are already visible beyond the stadium. Earlier this year, Kunene’s U20 men’s football team won the prestigious Namibian Newspaper Cup in Outjo. The region’s netball team also impressed, signalling a revival of athletic excellence. It remains my hope that this will translate to performances in classrooms.

Despair 

Opuwo Golden Wolves maestro Gascoigne Kavari puts it best:

“This isn’t just about football. It’s about giving young people like me a future and something to fight for and believe in.”

Local football enthusiast Musereepo Mupia echoed a similar sentiment.

“Opuwo Town Council outdid themselves. On weekends when there are home games, the stadium is packed. You can see it from afar. Young people are now at the stadium supporting their teams, instead of frequenting bars like before.”

Mupia is optimistic that this revival will go beyond sport:“Hopefully, this is the recovery of academic excellence in Opuwo, and by extension, the entire region.”

Despite this positive momentum, challenges remain. Alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancies and weak school performance won’t disappear overnight, but the return of sport is a powerful start and a reminder that progress is possible when leaders act with vision. The Opuwo Town Council’s leadership in rebuilding the stadium and supporting grassroots football shows that change is possible when institutions listen to their people. It also sends a message that sport can be a powerful tool for social development, inspiring youth to dream beyond their circumstances.

Importantly, Opuwo’s revival fits into a growing national agenda.

In her 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced the government will begin constructing and renovating sports infrastructure countrywide, including multi-purpose youth centres in towns such as Opuwo.

Hope 

Recently, sport minister Sanet Steenkamp confirmed that a total of N$35 million has been set aside to construct CAF Category Two stadiums across all 14 regions, each with a seating capacity of 10,000.

Opuwo is among the regional capitals identified for this initiative.

This renewed national commitment to sport infrastructure signals hope for rural towns like Opuwo. It affirms that when young people are given the right environment, they rise – on the field and beyond.

In many ways, Opuwo is already showing what’s possible when investment meets community passion. 

The new Newman Katuta Stadium stands tall as a symbol of resilience and renewal. It represents not just a physical structure but the town’s refusal to be defined by its social struggles. Instead, football is lighting the way to a healthier, more hopeful future.

*Kazara Ndovazu is a communications strategist and youth empowerment advocate from Orokapare, Kunene region. He writes in his personal capacity.