Cyrus Jirongo: The man western Kenya loved but failed to crown

When the name of the late Cyrus Jirongo was mentioned in his Western Kenya backyard, many instantly associated it with one of the most influential political figures the region ever produced on the national stage.

For decades, his name evoked power, wealth, daring and political audacity. Yet, deep among the masses, there lingered a quiet wish that he would have done more—enough to firmly cement himself as the undisputed regional kingpin.

Political analysts and sections of residents have echoed this sentiment in the wake of his untimely death, describing him as “the king that was never crowned”.

Since the era of Masinde Muliro and later Michael Wamalwa, Western Kenya has struggled to sustain a unified political voice. Many believed Jirongo, who rose to prominence during the late President Daniel arap Moi’s regime, would eventually rise to that stature. However, as his influence waned, the political space was gradually occupied by leaders such as Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula, long viewed as the region’s enduring kingpins.

His sudden death in a tragic road accident has now drawn the curtain on one of the most dramatic and controversial political careers in Kenya’s post-independence history.

His passing has reopened an old and painful debate in Western Kenya politics about what might have been had he lived to his full potential.

In Lugari, the sense of loss was particularly heavy. “To us here in Lugari, this was our king. He led with wisdom, and it is painful that Western Kenya never embraced him as much as he deserved,” said Keziah Minayo, a resident.

At his peak, Jirongo commanded attention, resources and loyalty in ways few leaders from the region have managed since.

But his later years also illustrated a harsh political truth: charisma without structure is fragile, and relevance must be constantly renewed.

Jirongo’s rise to national prominence dates back to the early 1990s, when he emerged as the youthful and flamboyant chairman of Youth for Kanu ’92 (YK’92), a lobby group credited with helping President Daniel Moi secure re-election.

At a time when political mobilisation relied heavily on raw organisation, money and daring, Jirongo mastered all three.

The group became infamous for freely disbursing newly minted Sh500 notes—then the highest denomination in the country—which quickly earned the nickname “Jirongo.”  Almost overnight, he became a household name, wielding influence that stretched far beyond his Western Kenya backyard.

That influence soon translated into elective politics. He served two terms as Lugari MP and held a cabinet position, firmly positioning himself as one of the most recognisable leaders from the Luhya community.

His victory in the 1997 Lugari parliamentary race symbolised a significant leap for a young man who, having helped others ascend to power, had now secured power himself.

“Feelanga CJ was his tagline when he made his political debut,” said Minayo. Jirongo led a constituency that was then experiencing an influx of communities from across Western Kenya, buying land and settling in the vast agricultural schemes.

“Growing up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, we thought there was no one as powerful as Jirongo. His name wielded power and fame, spreading like wildfire as settlers shared stories about him across Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and beyond,” said  Moses Ombayo, a political analyst.

His style was confrontational, populist and unapologetically bold. “Whether addressing rallies or taking on political rivals, Jirongo projected himself as a man unafraid of power,” Ombayo added.

However, his loss in the 2002 elections marked the first major setback.

Political analysts argue that the untimely death of Vice President Kijana Wamalwa in 2003 could have opened the door for Jirongo’s rise as a regional kingpin. But having lost his parliamentary seat, he was poorly positioned within the political cycle. This vacuum allowed figures such as Mudavadi to rise and eventually eclipse him.

Despite forging friendships beyond tribal lines, including with leaders such as former Vihiga Senator George Khaniri, financial troubles, public debt disputes and prolonged court battles eroded both his political capital and his aura of invincibility.

Still, Jirongo never gave up. His later political life was marked by repeated attempts to reclaim centre stage, driven by his belief that his influence—particularly in Western Kenya—had not been exhausted.

His first major comeback came in 2007, five years after losing his seat in 2002. He founded the Kenya African Democratic Development Union (Kaddu) and successfully reclaimed the Lugari parliamentary seat

Emboldened, he set his sights higher. Ahead of the 2013 General Election, he initially declared interest in the presidency, portraying himself as a national unifier.  He later shifted gears and contested the Kakamega Senate seat, losing to Boni Khalwale.

Undeterred, Jirongo made another bold attempt in 2017, running for President under the United Democratic Party (UDP). The bid failed to gain national traction, underscoring how backyard in Western had moved on from his influence 

His final major comeback came in the 2022 General Election, when he aligned UDP with the Azimio la Umoja coalition and contested the Kakamega gubernatorial seat. He lost to Fernandes Barasa.