Wetang'ula Says Was Shocked to Learn of Jirongo's Death Moments After their Meeting

By Brian Kiprono - Reporter

Kenya, 31 December 2025 - National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has broken his silence on his last meeting with the late former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, as leaders intensify calls for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the politician’s death.

Speaking on Tuesday during Jirongo’s burial in Lumakanda, Kakamega County, Wetang’ula gave a detailed account of their final interaction, saying the news of Jirongo’s death came as a devastating shock.

“He called me on December 6 while I was in Uganda and told me he wanted to see me,” Wetang’ula said. “I told him we would meet once I returned to the country.”

According to the Speaker, the meeting eventually took place on December 11 in Karen, Nairobi, in the company of Athletics Kenya official General Jackson Tuwei. He described the meeting as brief and routine.

“We sat together, the three of us, and talked. There was nothing unusual. I had to leave because I was travelling to Mombasa for another funeral,” he said.

Wetang’ula said he was stunned hours later when he was informed that Jirongo had died in a road crash.

“I was woken up and told, ‘Daddy, I am very sorry.’ I asked, ‘Sorry for what? I was with him last night.’ Then I was told he had died in an accident,” he recalled. “It hit me like a thunderbolt.”

Describing their long relationship, Wetang’ula said Jirongo was more than a political ally.

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“Cyrus was personal to me. We were friends for over 38 years. I was his lawyer, his friend, and sometimes we did small business together,” he said.

However, questions surrounding Jirongo’s death have continued to grow. Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale challenged Wetang’ula to publicly clarify the nature of his recent meetings with Jirongo.

“I want my brother, Honourable Wetang’ula, to tell us what they discussed and what they were planning,” Khalwale said.

Former Vihiga Senator George Khaniri also raised concerns over CCTV footage allegedly showing Jirongo with a passenger shortly before the crash. “When his car entered a petrol station in Naivasha, he was not alone,” Khaniri said. “Why was he later found alone?”

Leaders across the political divide have now called for a transparent and independent inquest. DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa said, “With conflicting statements from government agencies, the only way to restore public trust is through a formal inquest.”

Jirongo died on 13 December 2025 after his vehicle collided head-on with a bus along the Nakuru–Nairobi highway, leaving a nation mourning — and demanding answers.