Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga has paid tribute to the late engineer and politician Cyrus Jirongo, describing his death as a profound loss to Kenyan politics and to the communities he served over decades.
In a statement issued on Monday, Wanga said the news of Jirongo’s death had “hit hard”, adding that her thoughts were with his children, family and the people of Lugari, who repeatedly entrusted him with leadership.
Former Lugari MP and ex-minister Cyrus Jirongo died early Saturday after his vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a passenger bus on the Naivasha–Nakuru highway, police have confirmed.
The crash occurred at about 3am in the Karai area as Jirongo was driving a Mercedes-Benz from Nakuru towards Nairobi. According to preliminary police findings, his vehicle veered into the lane of oncoming traffic, either while overtaking or after failing to maintain its lane, and collided head-on with a Climax Company bus travelling from Nairobi to Busia.
Jirongo, 64, sustained severe head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. None of the 65 passengers on board the bus died, although some sustained injuries of varying severity.
She noted that losing a figure who had been part of Kenya’s political landscape for so long left “a hollow space”.
Wanga recalled first encountering Jirongo during the era of Youth for Kanu ’92, when he emerged as a forceful and charismatic mobiliser. She described him as a politician who instinctively understood that politics was about movement and belief, marked by a booming voice, unwavering confidence and an unwillingness to quietly exit the stage even after electoral setbacks.
“What always intrigued me was his resilience,” Wanga said, noting that defeats which might have ended other careers seemed only to strengthen his resolve. She added that Jirongo consistently spoke with pride about his family, traditions and roots in Western Kenya, remaining, in her words, “loud, passionate and unfiltered” throughout his public life.
The governor highlighted Jirongo’s time as a representative of Lugari, saying his work on rural development went beyond formal titles. According to Wanga, he had a deep understanding of the everyday realities facing rural communities, from poor roads and lack of clean water to the sense of marginalisation felt far from the centres of power.
She concluded by offering prayers for comfort to his family, the people of Western Kenya and the nation at large, saying that while his voice had been silenced, the impact he made would endure.
The bus driver, Tirus Kamau, told police he had little time to react and made a split-second decision to brace for impact in an effort to minimise harm to his passengers. A petrol station attendant in the vicinity said he heard a loud bang and rushed to the scene, but found that Jirongo had already succumbed to his injuries.
Jirongo’s body was first taken to the Naivasha Sub-County Mortuary before being transferred to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi. Police have launched investigations to establish the precise cause of the accident.
A prominent and often polarising figure in Kenyan politics, Jirongo rose to national prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the Youth for Kanu ’92 movement. He later served two terms as Member of Parliament for Lugari and held the position of Minister for Rural Development.
Tributes have poured in from across the political divide. President William Ruto and several senior leaders described Jirongo as a formidable mobiliser and a politician who left a distinct imprint on Kenya’s political history.
His death adds to renewed concerns over road safety on the busy Naivasha–Nakuru highway, a stretch that has witnessed numerous fatal accidents in recent years.
