A sombre mood hangs over Mbaya Village in Lugari Sub-County, Kakamega County, as news of the sudden death of United Democratic Party (UDP) leader and former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Jirongo continues to sink in.
Family members, friends and residents are struggling to come to terms with the loss of a man they describe as a pillar and provider to many households in the area.
“We have lost a father figure. Jirongo educated many children here and always came through for families in need,” said Elizabeth Jirongo, his sister-in-law.
Leaders and locals who visited his home said Jirongo was more than just a politician, remembering him as a generous leader who supported education for needy children and assisted families with basic needs.
“This community benefited a lot from him. He paid school fees for many children and helped widows and the vulnerable,” said a resident.
Jirongo was the party leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), which currently has three Members of the County Assembly in the Kakamega County Assembly. Party members say his death is a major blow to the party and grassroots leadership.
“As UDP, we have lost a visionary leader. He believed in empowering people at the grassroots and had plans to contest the presidency in 2027,” said Lugari Ward MCA Grey Moi, a UDP legislator in Kakamega.
The family says burial arrangements will be communicated at a later date.
As tributes continue to pour in from leaders across the political divide, Jirongo is being remembered as a seasoned politician whose career spanned decades and who worked closely with Kenya’s second president, the late Daniel arap Moi.
“Jirongo was a valuable figure both in his community and the country. He served as a former Minister for Rural Development and worked with dedication. His contribution to Kenya’s political landscape cannot be ignored,” said Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale described Jirongo as a brother, friend and colleague, saying he could not imagine the pain and devastation facing the family and the many people Jirongo supported, particularly in the greater Lugari region.
Born on March 21, 1961, during the colonial period, Jirongo attended Mang’u High School between 1978 and 1981. He rose to national prominence in the early 1990s as the youthful leader of Youth for KANU ’92 (YK ’92), a powerful lobby group that mobilised support for KANU ahead of the landmark 1992 multiparty elections.
Jirongo first entered elective politics in 1997, winning the Lugari parliamentary seat. He served as MP from 1997 to 2002, and again from 2007 to 2013, and was later appointed Minister for Rural Development during President Moi
