Nairobi — Former Lugari MP and veteran politician Cyrus Jirongo has died following a grisly road accident on the Naivasha-Nakuru highway.

According to preliminary police reports, the late politician was driving to Nairobi from Nakuru direction when his vehicle collided head-on with a bus near Karai area in Naivasha on Saturday morning.

The impact left his car extensively damaged and Jirongo was pronounced dead at the scene.

Several passengers in the bus were also injured and were rushed to nearby hospitals in Naivasha for treatment.

Jirongo, 64, was a prominent figure in Kenya's political arena for more than three decades. He rose to national attention in the early 1990s as the leader of the influential Youth for KANU '92 lobby group before later serving as MP for Lugari. He contested the presidency in 2017 and remained an active voice in national political debates.

Leaders from across the political divide began sending tributes shortly after news of the crash emerged, describing him as "a fearless politician who shaped Kenya's multiparty era" and "a man whose political instincts were unmatched."

"This morning, with a lot of shock and sadness, I have learnt of the passing on of Cyrus Jirongo who was an asset to our community and Kenya. We loved him but God loved him more," COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli said, tweeting, "May your soul rest in peace!."