Discovered by Moi allies, Jirongo climbed fast but crashed faster

Former Mp Cyrus Jirongo consoles Former latePresident Daniel Arap Moi During the funeral of his grandson Kiprono Ruto Moi Kipruto Moi at Kabarak University ground on July 15,2015.[FILE,Standard]

The late Cyrus Jirongo was mentored by Elijah Mwangale (former Kimilili MP), a powerful minister in President Daniel arap Moi’s government, whose nephew Joseph Mwangale was also a member of Youth for Kanu ’92 (YK92) movement.

Mwangale and others, including Nicholas Biwott and Joseph Kamotho, were part of Moi’s inner circle but were jolted when the late president ordered a return to multi-party politics at a Kanu delegates’ meeting in Kasarani Stadium on December 31 1991.

A vibrant opposition was emerging in the country through political pressure groups such as the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Masinde Muliro.

To throw them off balance, Moi not only surprised the opposition but also Kanu diehards who opposed change by agreeing to amend Section 2(a) of the Constitution, which had made Kenya a one-party state.

With presidential elections looming in December 1992, a few influential young businessmen proposed forming the YK92 lobby group to campaign for Moi, selecting Jirongo as their leader.

Young and rich

Already a flamboyant businessman in real estate and clearing and forwarding, Jirongo was reportedly a billionaire in his early 30s.

“I became a billionaire at a young age,” Jirongo told the Standard in December 2007.

Over time, however, political battles and business rivalries caused most of his businesses to collapse, leaving him heavily indebted and embroiled in financial disputes.

He was appointed YK chairman in 1992, with Gerald Bomett (Vice Chair), Rajab Waliaula (Organising Secretary), Sam Nyamweya (Treasurer), Sammy Kogo, also from Lugari, as Director of Operations, and Fred Amayo, son of Cabinet Minister Okiki Amayo, as Deputy Director of Operations. Others included former Mt Elgon MP Joe Kimkung, whose father Kimkung Naibei was a pre-colonial chief and magistrates’ court prosecutor, and was also close to the Mwangales. Ben Wakhungu, nephew of former Vice-President Moody Awori, joined the executive committee, while lawyer Jimmy Choge, son of Aldai MP Kiptum Choge, was elected North Rift chairman. There were also Patrick Musumba from Mwangale’s Kimilili backyard, Abdi Harris, son of Bungoma Somali businesswoman Mama Harris, and Micah Kigen from Elgeyo Marakwet.

State House

“State House was our home,” Kimkung said in an earlier interview. “Doors were readily open if we wanted anything, and President Moi was always available for us,” he added.

From the list of officials, it was evident that YK92 was heavily populated by Luhya members, especially from Bungoma, due to Jirongo’s influence and Mwangale’s backing. The group also included Kalenjin members, reflecting the influence of the Moi family, Mwangale, and Jirongo.

Born Cyrus Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo on March 21, 1961, he hailed from the Tiriki sub-tribe of the Luhya community. He attended Mang’u High School between 1978 and 1981.

Jirongo identified with the wider Luhya community, unsuccessfully advocating for united Luhya leadership in national elections. He adopted the name “Khwa,” meaning “son of” in the Bukusu, Kabras, and Tachoni dialects.

Before elective office, Jirongo served as chairman of AFC Leopards Football Club in 1991, personally funding club activities such as player allowances and travel expenses. 

That also helped raised his public profile, thus making it easy for him to campaign and win the Lugari parliamentary seat in 1997.

He was then a close friend of current president William Ruto who also vied for the neighbouring Eldoret North parliamentary seat and won on his first attempt using a Kanu ticket.

The duo used similar campaign merchandise, probably sourced from the same supplier, using the slogan “Ukweli wa Mambo (The truth of the matter) and won by comfortable margins.

Jirongo-Ruto duo

Both Jirongo and Ruto rattled the powers that be when they became vocal back benchers, frequently challenging senior official in the party and government policies.

They later ganged with another Kanu rabble-rouser Kipruto arap Kirwa and Fred Amayo to register their own party the United Democratic Party (UDP). President Moi reacted by giving Kirwa, a Kalenjin, the Luhya name Makokha.

Jirongo and Ruto soon left the party to Kirwa and returned to Kanu, where both were first appointed Assistant Ministers before being elevated to full ministerial positions as Musalia Mudavadi became Vice-President. In 2002, President Moi appointed him Minister for Rural Development. 

A fallout in New Kanu, saw Raila Odinga, George Saitoti, Moody Awori, Kalonzo Musyoka and Joseph Kamotho move to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which later supported Mwai Kibaki to win the 2003 presidential elections on the NARC party. 

Jirongo’s political decline began after 2003, when he lost the Lugari parliamentary seat to Ford Kenya’s Enoch Kibunguchy, a cousin of the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa, although he briefly recaptured it and served between 2007 and 2013 under his own party, the Kenya African Democratic Development Union. Between that period, he was the only Member of Parliament from that party.

In 2013, Jirongo expressed interest in the presidency but later dropped out to eventually unsuccessfully run for the Kakamega Senate seat. He then supported Raila Odinga in the presidential race.

In 2017, he contested the presidency under the United Democratic Party (UDP) but received a negligible vote share. He remained the UDP leader until his death. The party later joined Azimio la Umoja ahead of the 2022 elections. After the poll, he publicly congratulated President William Ruto, acknowledging there could be only one winner in every election.

Jirongo was known for having a large family and openly advocated polygamy, saying he had married women from all major tribes in the country. He boasted that his multiple wives and children were an integral part of his life, emphasising that he took good care of them.

From the mid-2000, Jirongo fought many courts cases, winning and losing some. In 2017, the High Court declared him bankrupt after failing to repay loans and taxes amounting to Sh200 millions.

Properties linked to companies associated with him were placed under receivership or auctioned. Courts also ordered him to repay large sums to individuals.

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) chairman Francis Atwoli moved to court demanding to be paid Sh100 million he claimed to have lend Jirongo in 2016, for his presidential campaign.

In 2022, Jirongo allegedly received Sh200 million from Nairobi county as compensation for the land his company claimed to own in Mukuru slums.

An investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission found out the land in question belonged to a primary school and dispensary.