Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has questioned the circumstances surrounding the death of veteran politician Cyrus Jirongo.
Speaking after visiting Jirongo’s family on Tuesday, December 16, he said many Kenyans remain unconvinced and are seeking clear and truthful answers about what happened in Jirongo’s final moments.
Gachagua said the accounts being advanced do not sufficiently explain who was last seen with Jirongo and why those individuals have remained silent, despite being close and trusted by him.
“The stories that are being advanced are not making much sense; Kenyans are asking, who are the last people to be seen with Cyrus Jirongo? Why are they quiet? Mostly they were his kinsmen, people he trusted, people he knew. Why are they quiet?” he posed.
Gachagua added that those who were with Jirongo before his death have not given a proper account of his plans, movements, or what was happening at the time
Gachagua said National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, who is alleged to have held a meeting with Jirongo before his death, should publicly explain what transpired.
“We haven’t had them give a good account. Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, he should have given a very good account. What were his plans? Where was he going? What was happening? And other people who were with him should come out and give clarity so that the family and Kenyans can be settled,” he added.
Gachagua said the focus should now be on conducting urgent, transparent, and credible investigations to establish the truth and assure Kenyans that there was no foul play.
He also conveyed his condolences to Jirongo’s family, saying the explanations currently being given must be properly corroborated to restore public confidence.
“Otherwise, we want to say sorry to the family and to say that we need urgent, transparent, credible investigations so that it can be clear to Kenyans that there was no foul play. The explanations that are being given need to be collaborated because it doesn’t sound right,” he further said.
Gachagua’s concerns were, however, answered by the burial planning committee chairperson, former Westlands MP Fred Gumo, in the same media briefing, who claimed that the National Assembly Speaker visited Jirongo’s home on Sunday, December 14, where he explained what transpired.
According to Gumo, Wetang’ula explained that he was with Jirongo in Karen on December 13, until 9:30pm, when the Speaker excused himself from the meeting, leaving Jirongo with two other friends whom Gumo did not name.
Gumo revealed that the autopsy will be done on Wednesday, December 17, to determine the cause of Jirongo’s death.
During the interviews, the leaders demanded a quick investigation into Jirongo’s death, asking President Ruto to direct the DCI to provide answers quickly.
They also demanded accounts from passengers of the bus that collided with Jirongo’s car, leading to his death.
In a statement earlier in the day, the DCI revealed that a preliminary investigation established that the accident indeed occurred on the night of December 13, at the Karai along the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway, amid speculations on social media that the scene might have been tampered with.
Detectives are also examining Jirongo’s movements before the crash, including recording statements from individuals he interacted with earlier that night, notably those present at a meeting at Karen Oasis Bar and Restaurant in Nairobi.
The leaders mourned the former minister, Cyrus Jirongo, as a truthful man who stood firm by the truth.
