Cyrus Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo

Former Cabinet Minister and ex-Lugri Constituency Member of Parliament Cyrus Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo has died. He was 64.

Jirongo died on Saturday, December 13 in Karai along Naivasha-Nairobi Road when his car, a Mercedes Benz, collided with a Climax Company public service bus.

Jirongo, who was born in 1961 in Western Province, was a leader of Youth for KANU ’92 or YK92, a group of youthful politicians who campaigned for President Daniel Moi’s re-election during the fight for multiparty democracy in Kenya.

He was elected as Member of Parliament for Lugari Constituency between 1997 and 2002 on a KANU ticket.

He formed the Kenya African Democratic Development Union in 2006, reclaiming the Lugari parliamentary seat from 2007 to 2013.

In 2022, Jirongo vied for the Kakamega gubernatorial seat but lost to Fernandes Barasa of the Orange Democratic Movement.

Jirongo was married to Joan Chemutai Kimeto, Christine Nyokabi Kimani, Ann Kanini, and Anne Lanoi Pertet. He leaves behind several children and grandchildren.