How politics flattened Jirongo's empire

 Jirongo's biggest client, National Social Security Fund, kicked him out of a business venture while police were used to trace and seize his property

When Cyrus Jirongo joined the opposition, government operatives set out to completely bring down his business empire. Jirongo's biggest client, National Social Security Fund, kicked him out of a business venture while police were used to trace and seize his property.

Confidential documents reveal how the late Mutula Kilonzo gave instructions to the then Head of the Civil Service Philip Mbithi on the matter.

In the letters, Kilonzo's law firm gave instruction on what institutions like the CID and Special Branch were to do as part of investigations into how monies were paid out to Jirongo by the defunct Post Bank Credit Limited for development of Hazina Estate.

At one point, Kilonzo asked Mbithi to instruct the Special Branch to; "mount detailed surveillance on Jirongo and his associates to ascertain/whether there are and prepare against any threats to State security as a result of massive cash believed to be in his possession.”

This, after the top lawyer said he had identified more than 180 properties belonging to either the companies aforementioned or Jirongo personally... and that the Special Branch should investigate some more because the list might not be exhaustive.

Jirongo was to build Hazina Estate started. His company Sololo Outlets Limited purchased 23 acres of land in South B at a price of Sh60 million to develop middle income housing units. After he started the project, NSSF was then approached to take it over.

Sololo then transferred all its rights to the Fund but was to continue with the development for the benefit of the Fund.

The development included 100 maisonettes, 320 residential flats, one nursery school, a shopping complex and a primary school with an initial capacity of 160 children. NSSF was then to pay Sh1.2 billion to Jirongo's Sololo Outlets.

The defunct Post Bank Credit Limited was then contracted to disburse the funds that were due to Sololo. An initial sum of Sh600m was paid to Sololo and 50 per cent of the development was completed.

The deal was however terminated by NSSF on orders of the Kanu government, leaving Jirongo in debts. He appears to have never recovered to date.