Caprivi African National Union

Caprivi African National Union
AbbreviationCANU
PresidentBrendan Simbwaye
FounderBrendan Simbwaye, Mishake Muyongo, Boniface Bebi, George Mutwa
Founded7 September 1962
Dissolved1965
Merger ofSWAPO (1964)
Succeeded byUnited Democratic Party (1985)
HeadquartersKatima Mulilo, Caprivi strip, South West Africa

The Caprivi African National Union (CANU) was a Namibian political organization founded in 1962 by Brendan Simbwaye and Mishake Muyongo to advocate for the independence of the Caprivi strip, now the Zambezi Region. CANU emerged in response to the area's distinct colonial history, geopolitical isolation, and the imposition of apartheid policies by South Africa, which administered the territory at the time.

Primarily supported by members of the Mafwe and Masubia communities, CANU played a key role in regional resistance before merging with the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in 1964 to form a united front in the Namibian liberation struggle.