KAKAMEGA, Kenya — Former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo will be laid to rest on December 30, 2025, at his Lumakanda home in Kakamega County, the family burial committee has announced.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, former Vihiga Senator George Khaniri said the family reached the decision after extensive consultations, noting that Jirongo owned several homes, which had initially raised questions over the burial location.
“We have agreed on the burial date, which has been set tentatively for December 30, 2025. The former MP had many homes, and questions were being asked as to which home he will be buried,” Khaniri said.
He added that the family resolved that Jirongo would be buried at his Lumakanda residence, alongside his parents.
“The family has agreed that he be buried in his Lumakanda home next to his father and mother’s grave,” he said.
Jirongo, 64, died in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, following a tragic road accident at Karai area in Naivasha, Nakuru County. Police said he was driving his private vehicle along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway when it collided head-on with a passenger bus.
Rift Valley Traffic Enforcement Officer Sarah Chumo said the crash occurred at around 3:00 a.m. as Jirongo was travelling from Nakuru towards Nairobi. Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
The sudden death of the former legislator has sent shockwaves across the political landscape and his home region, with leaders from across the political divide paying tribute to his legacy. Beyond his often-controversial political career, many remembered him for his generosity and willingness to support individuals and community initiatives.
At his Lumakanda home, grief and disbelief hung heavy as relatives, villagers, and friends gathered to mourn. Women could be heard wailing as small groups of family members huddled together, quietly sharing memories of a man they described as both a political force and a pillar of the community.
“It is a shock to the family; we did not expect this to happen. It is the festive season, and we were expecting to be together as a family for our usual gatherings,” a female relative said tearfully.
Jirongo’s political journey spanned more than two decades and mirrored Kenya’s turbulent multiparty era. He first rose to national prominence after winning the Lugari parliamentary seat on a KANU ticket in the 1997 General Election, serving until 2002.
In 2006, he founded the Kenya African Democratic Development Union (KADDU) party and successfully reclaimed the Lugari seat in the 2007 polls, holding it until 2013. His political ambitions later expanded beyond Parliament.
In 2013, Jirongo contested the Kakamega senatorial seat but lost to Boni Khalwale. Four years later, he made a long-shot bid for the presidency under the United Democratic Party (UDP), garnering just over 11,000 votes nationally.
His final major political contest came in the 2022 General Election, when he vied for the Kakamega governorship but was defeated by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Fernandes Barasa.
As burial preparations continue, the family said further details regarding memorial services and official programmes will be communicated in due course. For many in western Kenya and beyond, Jirongo’s death marks the end of a bold, polarising and influential chapter in the country’s political history.
