LEADERS INDICT GOVERNMENT OVER JIRONGO'S DEATH

As former Lugari MP and businessman Cyrus Jirongo is laid to rest, conflicting narratives about his death have ignited an unprecedented storm of grief, suspicion, political accusation, and official reassurance — all centered on whether his demise was a targeted assassination or a tragic road accident.

From Lumakanda in Kakamega County to Kitale, Nairobi and Naivasha, Jirongo’s death has steadily shifted from a reported road accident into a case now being interrogated in public view. At the heart of the controversy is a question increasingly asked by leaders and ordinary Kenyans alike: was Cyrus Jirongo killed, or is the government failing to tell the whole truth?

Addressing mourners during Jirongo’s burial on Tuesday, December 30, Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa accused the government of fuelling mistrust through contradictory statements from its own security agencies.

“In a situation like this where we have conflicting statements from the same government, the buck stops with the President,” Wamalwa said, questioning how institutions tasked with investigating the same incident could offer opposing narratives.

Wamalwa cited remarks by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin, who reportedly stated that investigators had traced a Probox vehicle alleged to have been following Jirongo at a petrol station and ruled out foul play. This, he noted, sharply contradicted comments made a day later by Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli, who told mourners at Jirongo’s Kitale home that forensic investigations were yet to begin.

“Tumemsikia yule Amin wa DCI akisema kwamba kuna ile gari probox ambayo ilikuwa inamfuata ndugu yetu Jirongo… wamefanya uchunguzi… na wamerule out any foul play…

Jana, DIG Masengeli ametuambia hapa Kitale kwamba sasa ndio wanaenda kufanya uchunguzi… Which is which? What kind of government is this, where the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing? Si kuna shida hapa jamani?” Wamalwa posed.

According to the former Defence Cabinet Secretary, the confusion within government agencies has only deepened suspicion, particularly in Western Kenya.

“…kwa sababu ishaonekana serikali hii haijui mbele wala nyuma… So, we are calling for an independent and formal inquest into the death of Cyrus Jirongo,” he added calling for a non - governmental probation of the whole fiasco.

Beyond the political rhetoric, Jirongo’s burial itself unfolded under a cloud of unease. Thousands of mourners thronged Lumakanda, yet one conspicuous absence dominated conversations — not a single passenger from the Climax Coach bus involved in the Karai crash attended the funeral.

Empty seats reserved for the passengers stood out starkly, reinforcing doubts about the official version of events. Organisers insisted invitations were issued, while insiders claimed some passengers were contacted only at the last minute.

The Motorists Association of Kenya has also weighed in, highlighting inconsistencies in the reported circumstances of the fatal crash. In a statement shared on X, the association noted:

“Jirongo was laid to rest amid lingering doubts raised by politicians and friends, centred on unresolved inconsistencies surrounding the head-on collision. Questions persist about how the two motorists actually collided, the silence of the 65 bus passengers, and conflicting accounts regarding the presence of two passengers in the smaller vehicle. Further doubt arises from claims of a stationary, wrong-side impact despite only slight damage to the bus, assertions of a traffic jam that do not appear in CCTV footage, and statements about the bus slowing down that are contradicted by images of a speeding vehicle.”

The association cautioned that with the burial completed, these questions risk being quietly dismissed. They stressed the importance of clarifying discrepancies with the surviving driver and reconciling evidence from CCTV footage before any official closure:

“With the burial of the first motorist, these questions risk being quietly laid to rest as well. It now remains to be seen whether the surviving motorist will offer further clarification on claims that do not align with the CCTV evidence, before the file is closed by the Attorney General with the conclusion that the deceased caused his own death.”

The Motorists Association emphasized that failure to thoroughly examine conflicting accounts could undermine public trust in official findings, and that transparency was essential to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Former Vihiga Senator George Khaniri emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the accident narrative, revealing details of his final interactions with Jirongo that he said contradicted claims the former MP was travelling to Naivasha.

“I saw my brother at Oasis, Karen, at around 8.30pm. He was seated with Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and two other people,” Khaniri told mourners.
He added that he spoke to Jirongo again later that night.
“I spoke to my brother at 11pm and asked him where he was. He told me he was at the same place I had left him… We even talked about a meeting we had scheduled for the following day.”

According to Khaniri, Jirongo mentioned only one destination — his home in Gigiri.
“He told me he was about to leave for his home in Gigiri. Now we are being told he was involved in a road accident in Naivasha. My brother had no plans to go to Naivasha. I can vouch for that.”

He further dismissed claims that Jirongo drove himself on the fateful night.
“The way I knew him, you are lying to me if you tell me Jirongo drove himself to Naivasha. That is a lie.”

Khaniri also questioned why none of the bus passengers had come forward.
“Out of 65 people, none recorded the accident or spoke out? You are lying to us,” he said, drawing murmurs from the crowd.

Days earlier, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi had urged the government to resolve all inconsistencies before Jirongo was laid to rest.
“We want the state to carry out a conclusive investigation and provide all answers surrounding the death of Jirongo before he is buried,” Osotsi said during a service at the late MP’s home.

While acknowledging postmortem findings by government pathologist Johansen Odour that cited blunt force trauma, Osotsi insisted the report alone could not close the matter.

“We have accepted the postmortem results, but that does not mean Jirongo’s death is settled. All inconsistencies must be addressed.”

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya echoed similar concerns, questioning the silence of the passengers, a view later supported by DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala.

Under mounting pressure, the government moved to publicly defend its handling of the case. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who delivered President William Ruto’s condolence message at the burial, urged patience as investigations continue.

“We want everything to do with his death laid bare, iwe wazi. If there was foul play, the ones who were involved in the foul play will be targeted. If it was not foul play, then God’s will shall prevail,” Mudavadi said.

He maintained that the state had no intention of concealing facts.

“We want to state as Government, there shall be nothing to hide… Let everything be brought to the fore so that nobody will go away in any doubt whatsoever.”

Deputy Inspector General Masengeli separately assured Kenyans that forensic investigations were ongoing, saying detectives were using all available methods and urging the public to avoid speculations.

As Jirongo was laid to rest, leaders paid tribute to a man remembered as bold, entrepreneurial and politically fearless. President Ruto described him as “vivacious in spirit, bold in ambition, and endlessly entrepreneurial,” while Mudavadi said his impact stretched far beyond elective office.

Yet even as prayers were said and soil covered his grave, the doubts remained. Was Cyrus Jirongo the victim of a tragic accident — or does the silence, contradiction and fear surrounding his death point to a deeper truth yet to be revealed?