Wamalwa: Jirongo’s voice would have shaped national debate on referendum
By Faith Lagat, December 27, 2025Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa lamented the untimely death of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, stating that his bold and unfiltered voice would have been crucial in the emerging national debate on constitutional amendments and a potential referendum ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during Jirongo’s requiem mass at Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) Valley Road on Saturday, December 27, 2025, Wamalwa described the late politician as a fearless leader who always spoke truth to power.
“We do know that Cyrus was a politician who spoke his mind, who spoke truth to power. In fact, he has left us at a time when we have the debate that has just started about the referendum and constitutional review, and my big sister Martha is here. She led as the Minister for Justice the constitutional review that led to the review of our constitution and the birth of the 2010 constitution,” Wamalwa said.
Jirongo’s voice and referendum debate
Wamalwa highlighted how the conversation on constitutional changes has reignited, referencing discussions around adopting aspects of Singapore’s governance model.
“That conversation has just started because they have the debate of Singapore. This is the time we would have liked the dynamite voice of Cyrus Jirongo to contribute to this national discourse that is just starting,” he added.
He imagined Jirongo’s likely intervention, suggesting he would challenge the timing and priorities of proposed amendments amid pressing socio-economic challenges.
“I’m sure Cyrus might have said, ‘Well, we tried this at Bomas, at NACO, at BBI,’ but right now probably he would question, ‘Is it really our top national priority, the constitutional amendments that we want to talk about, when half of Kenya is going hungry, 55% of this country do not celebrate Christmas, families cannot put food on the table, and up north from Garissa to Nigeria to Mandera, people are starving and we cannot feed these families, and here we are talking about Singapore?’” Wamalwa stated.
National debate
Wamalwa further noted that Jirongo would likely highlight failures in critical sectors.
“He would have asked, ‘Our health sector is in a mess; for the first time Kenyatta National Hospital is about to collapse, just like a 100-year-old hospital in Kakamega called St. Mary’s Mission Hospital that has been there since colonial times is collapsing because of the fair share policy. He would have questioned some of these things, and we will miss that dynamite voice that speaks truth to power, and we must carry on this fight even in his absence. “Thank you, and God bless you,” Wamalwa concluded.
The requiem mass brought together political leaders, family, and friends to honour Jirongo, who died in a road accident on December 13, 2025, along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Jirongo will be buried at his Lumakanda homestead on December 30, 2025.
Meanwhile, the referendum debate has gained momentum. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi warned that without constitutional changes via a referendum, the 2027 elections risk invalidation due to lapsed boundary reviews and inconsistent census data. Strategic advisor Fredrick Okang’o urged citizens to view 2027 as a reaffirmation of sovereignty.