The Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Ernest Yaw Kumi, has died, with sources attributing his death to a heart attack. The incident occurred on Monday, July 7, 2025.
His sudden passing comes at a time when he was embroiled in a high-profile legal dispute over the legitimacy of his election to Parliament.
Kumi was sworn in as MP on January 7, 2025, despite a court injunction barring him from taking office. The injunction stemmed from a legal challenge filed by Henry Boakye-Yiadom, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate and former MP for Akwatia. Boakye-Yiadom contested the election results, which showed Kumi winning with 19,269 votes against his 17,206.
The NDC candidate’s legal team argued that the swearing-in violated active court orders and was therefore in contempt of the judicial process.
Kumi repeatedly failed to appear in court for contempt proceedings, prompting the issuance of a bench warrant for his arrest. A letter from the Minority Caucus in Parliament explaining his absence due to parliamentary duties was rejected by the court.
The case was expected to escalate further before news broke of Kumi’s unexpected death.
His passing not only halts the ongoing legal proceedings but also creates a political vacuum in the Akwatia Constituency, triggering uncertainty about the next steps for representation and possible by-elections.
