Legal battles robbed Ernest Kumi of his time to serve- Sammi Awuku
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Akwatia MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi, describing his brief tenure in Parliament as one overshadowed by unending legal battles that prevented him from serving his constituents freely.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Monday, July 7, Mr. Awuku recalled how the constant court challenges emotionally and mentally drained the young legislator.
“I can tell you for a fact that the gentleman was just stressed,” he said. “Today, it is the High Court undermining his victory, and pulling him to the High Court. The next day, they are pulling him to the Supreme Court. My brother did not even enjoy the benefit of serving his people with a clean conscience and a clear mind.”
“He never had the benefit of concentrating on his people. Every day, he was being dragged to court. It was very draining for him,” he said.
He recounted a moment when Kumi confided in him, saying: “Commander, I am tired.”
Mr. Awuku also revealed that the late MP had planned to launch a foundation for Akwatia, but ongoing legal distractions delayed its rollout.
Ernest Yaw Kumi, a first-time MP elected on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket, passed away on July 7, 2025, just months after winning the fiercely contested Akwatia seat in the 2024 elections.
His victory had been immediately challenged by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), citing electoral irregularities and alleged vote-buying.
The legal dispute escalated, resulting in an interim injunction from the Koforidua High Court and later contempt proceedings against Kumi.
A bench warrant was issued after he defied the court order. However, on June 11, 2025, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling, quashing the contempt conviction and barring the presiding judge from further action offering Kumi a brief legal vindication just weeks before his death.
His passing leaves a significant void in both the NPP and Parliament. To colleagues like Sammi Awuku, Kumi is remembered not just as a politician, but as a fighter whose ambitions were cut short by circumstance, not a lack of will.
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