Charles Eric Kofi Wayo, the outspoken Ghanaian politician and businessman popularly known as Kofi Wayo or “Chuck”, has died at the age of 71. He passed away in the early hours of Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra, according to reports by 3News and MyJoyOnline.
News of his death spread on Saturday after a death announcement circulated in Accra. The cause of death has not been made public.
His family is yet to announce funeral arrangements.
Kofi Wayo never held public office, but for more than two decades he was one of the most recognisable voices in Ghanaian politics, known for blunt commentary on governance, corruption and the economy.
Kofi Wayo death: what we know so far
Reports say Kofi Wayo died at the Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra in the early hours of Saturday. He lived at East Legon in Accra.
No statement from the family on the cause of death had been published at the time of writing. No official tributes had yet been reported either.
- Full name: Charles Eric Kofi Wayo
- Popular names: Kofi Wayo, “Chuck”
- Age: 71
- Died: Early hours of Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Place of death: Nyaho Medical Centre, Accra
- Funeral: Arrangements yet to be announced
Kofi Wayo’s political career: from NPP to URP
Kofi Wayo rose to national attention in the early 2000s after returning to Ghana from abroad. He was a fierce critic of the NDC government of the time.
He later aligned with the New Patriotic Party (NPP). After the NPP won power in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor, he became a vocal critic of the party’s economic management.
In December 2003, he announced his exit from the NPP at a press conference in Accra, according to 3News.
United Renaissance Party founder and 2012 presidential candidate
After a brief association with the People’s National Convention (PNC), Kofi Wayo founded the United Renaissance Party (URP) in the mid-2000s and became its leader.
The URP endorsed him as its presidential candidate for the 2012 general election.
His style was unscripted and he criticised both major parties, which made him a regular feature on radio and in the newspapers.
Comments on Mahama and Akufo-Addo
Kofi Wayo did not limit his comments to one side. In March 2016, he praised then-President John Mahama on 3FM, saying he had “feelings for the Ghanaian people.”
In April 2017, he described President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ban on the sale of state vehicles to outgoing officials as “long overdue.”
Kofi Wayo quits politics for farming
In March 2017, Kofi Wayo stepped away from partisan politics to focus on agriculture.
He supported rural farmers with tools, including cutlasses. “I am now into farming and assisting the farmers in the villages with implements and other logistics,” he told Graphic Online at the time.
In his final years he largely withdrew from public life and lived quietly in Accra.
What his death means for Ghana’s political scene
Kofi Wayo belonged to a generation of independent-minded politicians who challenged both the NDC and the NPP from outside the two-party mainstream.
His death removes one of the best-known figures among Ghana’s smaller parties, at a time when the country is already mourning several public figures. Last month, GhanaTrends reported on how veteran actress Grace Nortey was laid to rest at the State House.
What happens next
The family is expected to announce funeral arrangements in the coming days.
Tributes from political parties, former colleagues and public figures are also expected as news of his passing spreads.
Key details at a glance
- Kofi Wayo (Charles Eric Kofi Wayo) has died aged 71.
- He died in the early hours of Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Nyaho Medical Centre, Accra.
- Cause of death has not been disclosed.
- He was once associated with the NPP and announced his exit in December 2003.
- He founded the United Renaissance Party (URP) and was its 2012 presidential candidate.
- He quit partisan politics in March 2017 to focus on farming.
- Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
FAQs
How old was Kofi Wayo when he died?
Kofi Wayo was 71 years old. He died on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Where did Kofi Wayo die?
He died at the Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra in the early hours of Saturday. The cause of death has not been made public.
Which party did Kofi Wayo found?
Kofi Wayo founded the United Renaissance Party (URP), which endorsed him as its presidential candidate for the 2012 election.
Kofi Wayo, the URP founder and former NPP member known for his blunt criticism of governments across party lines, has died at 71 in Accra. He stepped away from politics in 2017 to support farmers, and his family is expected to announce funeral arrangements soon.
