Cyrus Jirongo was born on March 21, 1961, in Lugari, Kakamega County. He grew up at a time when education was shaping a new political class in Kenya. He attended Mang’u High School between 1978 and 1981, where he developed the confidence and leadership qualities that would later define his public life. After school, he ventured into business, building networks and resources that later supported his entry into politics.

Entry into politics and the KANU ’92( YK’92) era

Jirongo rose to national prominence in the early 1990s as the chairman of Youth for KANU ’92, a powerful youth lobby group formed to mobilise support for President Daniel arap Moi during Kenya’s first multiparty elections in 1992. As the youthful face of the movement, he became one of the most influential young politicians of the era, working closely with other ambitious figures who would later shape national politics. His leadership of YK’92 firmly placed him at the centre of Moi’s political machinery.

Parliamentary career and cabinet role

In 1997, Jirongo was elected Member of Parliament for Lugari Constituency on a KANU ticket, serving until 2002. His tenure in Parliament coincided with the final years of Moi’s rule. In 2002, in the last days of the KANU government, he was appointed Minister for Rural Development, joining the Cabinet at a historic moment as the country prepared for political transition.

Reinvention after KANU

Following KANU’s defeat in the 2002 General Election, Jirongo sought to redefine his political identity. In 2006, he founded the Kenya African Democratic Development Union, marking a deliberate move to chart an independent political path. He successfully reclaimed the Lugari parliamentary seat in 2007 and served until 2013, maintaining his influence at the grassroots even as Kenya’s political landscape continued to evolve.

Jirongo’s ambitions extended beyond parliamentary politics. In 2013, he contested the Kakamega senatorial seat but was unsuccessful. He later formed the United Democratic Party and mounted a presidential bid in 2017, followed by a run for the Kakamega gubernatorial seat in 2022. Although these bids did not yield electoral victory, they reflected his enduring determination to remain relevant on the national stage.

Cyrus Jirongo died on Saturday morning, December 13, 2025, following a road accident in Naivasha. His passing brings to an end a political journey that spanned more than three decades. From a Mang’u High School student to a key power broker during the YK’92 era, a Cabinet minister, Jirongo’s life mirrored Kenya’s complex political history. He will be remembered as a bold, controversial and influential figure whose imprint on the country’s politics remains significant.