Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo had privately expressed fears about his personal safety in the days leading up to his death, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has revealed.
Speaking on Saturday, December 27, during Jirongo’s memorial service held at CITAM, Nairobi, Karua told mourners that the late politician had shared concerns about his security and was in the process of making arrangements to enhance his safety before the fatal accident occurred.
“Cyrus had concerns about his safety. He was actually making arrangements to better secure himself. This accident came before that time. So those questions will linger,” Karua said.
Her remarks cast a sombre mood over the service, with many in attendance reflecting on the unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of Jirongo’s death.
Karua described the late politician as a close friend and brother, recalling that she had known him long before he entered politics. She said they first met in court, where Jirongo had gone to assist a mutual friend who would later rise to a senior government position.
“We are here to honour a friend and a brother. I met Cyrus before he joined politics. True to his character, he had come to court to bail out a friend,” she said.
Despite often finding themselves on opposite sides of the political divide, Karua said their relationship remained strong.
“He was in government and we were in the opposition, but that never stopped our collaboration. We worked together across many political seasons,” she noted.
She added that they had recently been discussing plans to work together again in future political engagements, saying their bond was built on shared values rather than party affiliation.
Karua described Jirongo as a generous and compassionate individual who cared deeply about people and society beyond politics.
“We say farewell to a man with a big heart — generous, humane, and deeply concerned about improving the lives of others. He loved the Mulembe Nation, but above all, he loved humanity,” she said.
Jirongo died in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, following a road accident along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway.
A postmortem examination conducted days later confirmed that he succumbed to severe blunt force trauma.
Family pathologist Dr Joseph Ndung’u said Jirongo sustained multiple injuries, including fractures to his limbs, severe chest trauma, and spinal injuries.
“Our examination established that the cause of death was crush injuries to the chest and abdomen, as well as a spinal injury resulting from blunt force trauma,” Dr Ndung’u said.
He added that the former MP suffered broken ribs, damage to internal organs, and a severed spinal cord at the thoracic level.
