NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 13 - President William Ruto has eulogised former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo as a relentless go-getter, bold political organiser and accomplished businessman, describing his death as a personal loss and a blow to Kenya's political landscape.
The President said Jirongo stood out as a resilient and enterprising leader who refused to be constrained by adversity, and whose life was defined by courage, ambition and an unwavering belief in his ideas.
"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. Jirongo was a relentless go-getter, a seasoned businessman, and a consummate politician who refused to be defined, let alone defeated, by life's challenges,"
Ruto said.
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The President noted that Jirongo's influence extended well beyond elective office, portraying him as "blunt yet warm, bold yet approachable, enlightened and endlessly entrepreneurial."
He added that Jirongo's generosity left a lifelong imprint on colleagues and communities:
"He was always willing to give, to uplift, and to back others with his time, resources and belief."
Grisly 3am Crash on Nakuru-Naivasha Highway
Jirongo died early Saturday following a grisly road accident at Karai, Naivasha. Police said the former legislator was driving alone towards Nairobi when his Mercedes Benz E350, registration, collided head-on with a Busia-bound Climax Coach bus, at around 3:00am along the Nakuru-Naivasha Highway.
He died on the spot and his body was later moved to the Naivasha Sub-County Morgue awaiting post-mortem.
According to a police report filed at Naivasha Traffic Base, Jirongo's vehicle was travelling from the Nakuru direction towards Nairobi when, on reaching the scene of the accident, it left its lane and collided head-on with the oncoming bus belonging to Climax Company.
Both vehicles were towed to Naivasha Police Station for inspection as police opened a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
Bus Driver: 'I Had to Save the 65 People Behind Me'
The driver of the Climax bus, Tirus Kamau, who has worked with the company for eight years, said he was ferrying 65 passengers from Nairobi to Busia when the collision happened.
In his account, Kamau said he first saw the white Mercedes Benz E350 as it came from the side of the highway.
He said there was traffic in the lane where the Mercedes was, and that the car moved into his lane instead of giving way.
Kamau told reporters that in the split seconds before impact, he had to decide whether to swerve sharply and risk overturning the bus or brace for a collision.
He said he realised that pulling the bus off the road would likely send it rolling down an embankment, endangering all those on board, and chose instead to try to keep the vehicle stable and protect his passengers.
Kamau said he did not know the identity of the Mercedes driver until police arrived and confirmed that it was Cyrus Jirongo.
Tributes Pour In From Across the Political Divide
Messages of condolence flowed from leaders nationwide, reflecting Jirongo's long and complex presence on Kenya's political stage.
Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka described him as "a bold and charismatic leader who never shied away from challenging convention or pursuing his convictions with courage and clarity."
COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli described Jirongo as an asset to the Luhya community.
"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," he tweeted.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he was deeply pained by the news, calling Jirongo "a former Cabinet Minister and ex-Lugari MP whose death is a great loss to the nation."
Lawyer Donald Kipkorir noted that despite his human imperfections, "he had a golden heart... charitable to a fault... he always gave the last money he had to a needy person."
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya said Jirongo embodied the spirit of public service, recalling "His tenure as Minister for Rural Development and later as a steadfast representative for Lugari reminds us that public service is a marathon of conviction, not a sprint of convenience."
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A Political Mobiliser Who Helped Shape Multiparty Kenya
Born on 21 March 1961, Jirongo attended Mang'u High School between 1978 and 1981.
Though he never built a formal professional career, he became a prominent businessman and political actor at a remarkably young age.
His national breakthrough came in 1992 when he rose as the leader of Youth for KANU '92 (YK'92)--a well-funded lobby group that mobilised support for President Daniel arap Moi during Kenya's transition to multiparty politics. Among its youthful organisers then was the current President, William Ruto.
Jirongo later served as Lugari MP from 1997-2002 and 2007-2013, becoming one of Western Kenya's most recognisable political strategists and mobilisers.
His death marks the end of a turbulent yet influential political career that left an enduring imprint on Kenya's democratic journey, and a tragic night on the highway now lives on in the memories of a bus driver and 65 passengers who survived.
