Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has joined Kenyans in mourning the death of former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo, who died in a road accident early on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

In a statement shared on the official X account of the Office of the 4th President of Kenya, Kenyatta described Jirongo as a bold and principled leader who stood firmly for his beliefs and worked tirelessly for the country.

Kenyatta said the late politician passionately championed the interests of the youth and played an active role in national affairs during his time in public service. He noted that Jirongo’s courage, wit and commitment left a lasting impression on those who worked with him.

“His courage, wit, and commitment to standing up for what he believed in will forever be etched in the minds of those who interacted with him,” he said.

The former Head of State extended his condolences to Jirongo’s family, friends and supporters, and prayed for strength and comfort as they come to terms with the loss.

Jirongo died after his Mercedes-Benz saloon car was involved in a head-on collision with a passenger bus along the Nakuru–Naivasha highway at the Karai area. According to police and eyewitness accounts, the accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning. The bus, which was travelling from Nairobi to Busia, had passengers on board.

Images shared on social media showed extensive damage to Jirongo’s vehicle, highlighting the severity of the crash. Police confirmed that Jirongo was alone in the car at the time of the accident.

Following the incident, Jirongo’s body was taken to the Naivasha Sub-county Mortuary before being transferred later in the day to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi, where family and friends gathered.

Rise and political career

Jirongo was a well-known figure in Kenyan politics, particularly during the 1990s and early 2000s. Born in 1961 in Western Kenya, he rose to prominence as the leader of Youth for KANU ’92, a powerful lobby group that played a key role in mobilising support for President Daniel arap Moi.

He served as Lugari MP from 1997 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2013. In 2002, Moi appointed him Minister for Rural Development in the final months of his administration.

After the decline of KANU, Jirongo formed his own political parties and contested several high-profile seats, including the presidency in 2017 and the Kakamega governorship in 2022, though without success.