Unanswered Questions Surround Cyrus Jirongo’s Final Hours After Crash

Veteran politician and former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo died early on Friday after his car collided head-on with a passenger bus along the Nakuru–Nairobi highway near Karai, police have confirmed.

Investigators are reconstructing Mr Jirongo’s final movements as they seek to establish the precise circumstances leading to the crash, which occurred shortly after 2am. Witness accounts indicate that Mr Jirongo spent Thursday evening in Nairobi before driving towards Naivasha. 

He is said to have dropped off a female companion at a hotel shortly after 1.30am. A boda boda rider reported seeing his white Mercedes-Benz stop briefly in the area before continuing towards Nairobi.

Other motorists later told police they saw the vehicle parked by the roadside. One driver said Mr Jirongo appeared to have stopped briefly before resuming his journey. These accounts form part of a timeline police are examining, beginning with his last confirmed presence in Karen at about 11pm.

An attendant at the East African Oilgas Petrol Station in Karai told investigators that Mr Jirongo drove into the station at around 2.15am but did not refuel. Instead, he rejoined the highway and entered the lane for oncoming traffic.

Moments later, his car collided head-on with a Climax Company bus travelling from Nairobi to Nakuru. The bus driver, Titus Kamau, said the Mercedes swerved into his lane while attempting to overtake another vehicle. The impact pushed the car several metres before the bus came to a stop. 

Mr Kamau said he was carrying 65 passengers bound for Busia and had no opportunity to avoid the collision. Emergency responders found Mr Jirongo slumped over the steering wheel and unresponsive, with visible head injuries. They were unable to open the vehicle doors. 

Police were notified shortly after 2.30am, with general duty officers arriving first, followed by traffic police who documented the scene and cleared the road.

Documents recovered from the car confirmed Mr Jirongo’s identity. Police did not immediately record an inventory of personal items, stating that there were no initial signs of foul play. 

Witnesses reported seeing female personal effects inside the vehicle, including earrings. Police have also said that Mr Jirongo, who was licensed to own a firearm, may have been carrying a gun at the time of the crash. No firearm was recovered from the scene. Homicide detectives are expected to take over the investigation to address unresolved questions.

Mr Jirongo’s family has announced that a joint post-mortem examination will be conducted by three pathologists representing the family, his clan and the State. Mr Jirongo was a long-serving figure in Kenyan politics and the leader of the United Democratic Party.