NAIROBI, Kenya — Lawyer Danstan Omari has disclosed that the late former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Jirongo gave him fresh legal instructions just days before his death in a tragic road accident along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, underscoring the suddenness with which the veteran politician’s life was cut short.
Speaking on Friday, Omari said Jirongo met him at Fairview Hotel in Nairobi and directed him to prepare court papers that were scheduled to be filed on Monday, December 16.
The advocate said he travelled to Mombasa to work on the documents, only to later receive news of Jirongo’s death before the filings could be lodged in court.
“He came and gave me instructions at Fairview Hotel, and we were supposed to file those papers in court on Monday. I went to Mombasa, worked on those papers, but I didn’t get to file them. Shockingly, I was told that he has passed on,” Omari said.
The senior lawyer, who represented Jirongo in numerous cases over the years, said their relationship went beyond a professional engagement, describing the former legislator as a close friend and a man of deep conviction.
“He was more than a client to me. He was a friend,” Omari said, recalling years of legal battles that took them from the Chief Magistrate’s Court to the Supreme Court.
Eulogising the late politician, Omari described Jirongo as resilient and unwavering, even in moments of adversity. “A strong man. A man of strong conviction. A man who knew how to smile even at the point of adversity. A strong man who navigated the corridors of justice, fighting for what he believed,” he said.
Jirongo died in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, following a head-on collision involving his Mercedes-Benz and a bus operated by Climax Company Limited near Karai area in Naivasha. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the crash occurred at approximately 2:19 a.m. and was severe enough to push Jirongo’s vehicle about 25 metres from the point of impact, while the bus came to rest roughly 50 metres away.
DCI investigations, supported by CCTV footage obtained from Eagol Petrol Station, indicate that Jirongo had driven into the station moments before the crash but did not refuel. He later attempted to rejoin the highway before the fatal collision occurred.
A postmortem examination conducted by the family’s pathologist, Dr Joseph Ndung’u, established that Jirongo died from blunt force trauma. The examination revealed extensive injuries, including multiple rib fractures, a perforated heart, ruptured blood vessels, spinal cord damage, and multiple fractures to his limbs, alongside massive internal bleeding.
As investigations continue, Omari made an emotional appeal to Kenyans, particularly bloggers and social media users, to allow the family space to grieve without intrusion or speculation.
“My appeal to everybody is let the family mourn quietly. Let those agencies that are mandated by the Constitution and statutory laws deal with the issues that are coming. But my appeal is that let us mourn,” he said.
He cautioned against the politicisation of Jirongo’s death or the spread of unverified claims online, warning that such actions only deepen the pain for the bereaved family.
“Those bloggers posting rubbish all over to attract views do not understand what it means to lose a husband, a father, an uncle, a friend,” Omari said, urging restraint and empathy during the mourning period.
Jirongo’s death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from across the political divide, with leaders recalling his influence in Kenya’s political history, particularly during the KANU era and his tenure as Lugari MP.
