The death of Ernest Yaw Kumi, the Member of Parliament for the Akwatia constituency in Ghana’s Eastern Region, on July 7, 2025, has been confirmed. He died of a sudden heart.
Kumi, who was elected in December 2024 under the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been at the center of recent court cases, including a High Court contempt finding in February 2025 that the Supreme Court overturned in June, allowing the APC to continue in office.
Given the recent legal issues and his active position as an MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi’s passing is both a personal tragedy and a significant political event.
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What happens next:
- Parliamentary vacancy – A by-election must be organized in Akwatia to fill the vacant seat.
- Party considerations – The NPP will need to nominate a new candidate to contest, potentially facing Henry Yiadom Boakye of the NDC, who narrowly lost in the December 2024 election.
- Timeline – Ghana’s Electoral Commission typically schedules by-elections within a few months of the vacancy, so voters in Akwatia can expect a prompt by-election announcement.
