The election of the chairperson of the Ohangwena Regional Council Management Committee has ended in a tie.

Outgoing council chairperson and councillor for Omulonga Constituency, Erickson Ndawanifa, and Festus Ikanda, councillor for Omundaungilo Constituency, were nominated, leaving the 12-member council divided into half.

The election reached a tie as both candidates scored six votes each after members cast their votes through the ballots before Magistrate Adrian Sangunji of the Eenhana Magistrate's Court.

Ndawanifa is seeking re-election, while Ikanda is nominated for that position for the first time.

This forced Magistrate Sangunji to adjourn the elections for the chairperson until Tuesday afternoon at 14:00.

The other three members of the Management Committee were re-elected and sworn into their positions, with the winners also determined through the ballot.

There were four nominations, with a new kid on the block, Efraim Lebius, Councillor for Okongo Constituency, nominated for the first time.

Unfortunately, Lebius scored only six votes after the ballots, coming last behind Ferdinand Shifidi from Endola Constituency, Ester Nghidimbwa from Oshikango Constituency, and Hilaria Ndjuluwa from Ondobe Constituency, who were successfully re-elected to their positions.

The Constitution provides that the Chairperson and the members of the Management Committee of the Regional Councils shall hold office for two years and six months and shall be eligible for re-election.

The term of the current members of the Management Committee who were elected in December 2020 came to an end in May 2023.