National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has emotionally recounted the final hours he spent with the late businessman and politician Cyrus Jirongo, describing the loss as sudden, personal, and deeply painful.

Speaking during Jirongo’s burial ceremony, Wetang’ula said their last meeting came just hours before the tragic road accident that claimed Jirongo’s life, a meeting he never imagined would be their final one.

Wetang’ula revealed that Jirongo had first reached out to him on December 6 while he was in Uganda attending the Parliament Games.

He explained that he could not meet him at the time but promised to get in touch once he returned to Kenya.

“Jirongo called and asked to see me, but I told him I was not around and that once I was back, I would inform him,” Wetang’ula said.

After returning to the country on December 11, Wetang’ula travelled to Bungoma, where tragedy struck again with the loss of his elder brother, forcing him to rush back to Nairobi the same day.

Their Final Meeting on Jamhuri Day

On Jamhuri Day, after attending official state functions, Wetang’ula said he called Jirongo and agreed to meet later that evening.

He arrived at the house of a mutual Luhya friend, identified as Mala, at around 8:15 pm, and Jirongo joined him shortly after.

“At around 8:15 pm I arrived at our Luhya friend’s house, Malala, and about 15 minutes later Jirongo came,” he recalled.

Wetang’ula noted that he was under pressure to leave early due to another bereavement.

I told him, “Cyrus, let’s finish quickly because I have lost an MP from Mombasa and as Speaker, I have to attend the burial.” he said.

Also Read:Pathologist Reveals What Killed Former MP Cyrus Jirongo

A Sudden Goodbye

The Speaker said the two talked briefly, and by around 9:30 pm, he excused himself to prepare for an early morning flight.

“At about 9:30 pm, I told him I had to leave because my flight was scheduled for the morning and I needed to go home and sleep,” Wetang’ula stated.

Before leaving, he ensured Jirongo was not left alone.

I told him, “Let me call Malala so you keep chatting as I leave,” he added.

The Mercedes-Benz Wreckage of the Late Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo who Succumbed in a Road Accident Along Nairobi-Nakuru Highway. PHOTO/ Kenyans.

News That Shattered Him

The following morning, Wetang’ula said he received devastating news from his son.

My son came and told me, “Sorry, father, for your friend Jirongo.”

I asked him why, yet I was with him the previous night,” he narrated.

It was then that he learned Jirongo had died in a road accident.

“He told me Jirongo had died in an accident. It hit me like a thunderbolt.

It hit me like a missile,” Wetang’ula said, his voice heavy with emotion.

Also Read: IN MOURNING CYRUS JIRONGO: A Life of Fire, Fortune, and Frailty

A Friendship Beyond Politics

Wetang’ula described Jirongo as more than a colleague, calling him a close friend with whom he shared a long history of mutual support.

“Amongst everyone I have talked to, Jirongo was personal to me. We helped each other and worked together,” he said.

He hailed the late Jirongo as a unifying figure who believed deeply in cohesion within the Luhya community and the country at large.

“Jirongo valued friendship. He loved unity, and he believed that if the Mulembe nation unites, everything will change,” Wetang’ula stated.

Addressing public concerns surrounding the circumstances of Jirongo’s death, Wetang’ula called on investigators to leave no stone unturned.

“I want those doing investigations to keep digging everything because questions left unanswered end up remaining a mystery,” he said, acknowledging claims that the accident raised unanswered questions.

Wetang’ula concluded by pledging to stand with Jirongo’s family and ensure his legacy lives on.

“I will champion for the family to ensure they live the life Jirongo wished they had,” he vowed.

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Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. PHOTO/UGC.