Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has paid tribute to the late former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, who tragically died in a road accident on December 13, 2025, along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway.

In a heartfelt post on X dated December 14, 2025, Wanga reflected on Jirongo’s enduring impact on Kenyan politics, highlighting his electrifying entry through the Youth for Kanu ’92 (YK’92) movement and his unwavering resilience.

“On this somber morning, my thoughts turn to honour the late Engineer Cyrus Jirongo, a man whose political journey I observed for decades,” Wanga wrote. “The news of his death hit hard and my thoughts are with his children, his entire family, and everyone in Lugari who trusted him with their hopes.”

Political journey and activism

Jirongo, aged 64, was a towering figure in Kenyan politics for over three decades.

He first burst onto the national scene in 1992 as the charismatic leader of YK’92, a youth lobby group that played a pivotal role in President Daniel arap Moi’s re-election during Kenya’s transition to multiparty democracy.

Wanga described him as “electric; a young man who understood that politics is about movement, about getting people to believe.” She noted his “unmistakable presence: that booming voice, that unshakable confidence, that refusal to fade quietly when the spotlight moved elsewhere.”

Wanga emphasised Jirongo’s resilience, a trait that defined his career through electoral victories and defeats. He served as Lugari MP from 1997 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2013, briefly holding the position of Minister for Rural Development in the final months of Moi’s administration. Even after political setbacks, including a presidential bid in 2017, Jirongo remained passionate about Kenya’s development.

“What always intrigued me was his resilience. Political losses that would devastate others seemed only to fuel him, convinced he had something more to give to Kenya,” Wanga continued. “And through it all, Cyrus spoke openly about his family, his traditions, and his roots in Western Kenya. He remained recognizably himself: loud, passionate, and unfiltered.”

Commitment to rural communities

Wanga particularly praised Jirongo’s dedication to rural communities. “His years representing the people of Lugari and his work on rural development truly mattered. These were not just titles to him. He understood viscerally what it meant when roads went unpaved, when villages lacked water, and when rural communities felt forgotten.”

The accident, a head-on collision with a passenger bus at Karai area in Naivasha around 3 a.m., claimed Jirongo’s life instantly. Wanga described it as “abruptly and so violently,” compounding the tragedy.

Concluding her tribute, she prayed for peace: “We pray that God grants him eternal peace and comforts his grieving family, the community of Western Kenya, and all of Kenya. Rest well, Cyrus. Though your voice is stilled, the mark you left remains.” Jirongo’s death has elicited widespread condolences from leaders across the political divide, including President William Ruto, who described him as a resilient friend.