[1] Katutura was created in 1961 following the forced removal of Windhoek's black population from the Old Location, which afterwards was developed into the suburb of Hochland Park.

Also economically black residents were worse off after the move because they now had to pay rent to the municipality, and they needed a bus to reach their work places in town—Old Location had been in walking distance.

This event is known as the Old Location uprising, it is the reason for the declaration of December 10, Human Rights Day, as a Namibian national holiday.

The breakdown of residents of different tribes in 1962 was:[7] During 2019 a campaign by Hendrich Amutenya and fellow activists to rename Katutura was launched.

Amutenya argued that the name of the Katutura township has a bad connotation and reflects poorly towards a now free and independent Namibia.