Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday led a host of national and regional leaders in Lumakanda, Kakamega County, as the late veteran politician and former Lugari MP Cyrus Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo was laid to rest.
The burial, held on December 30 at Jirongo’s rural home in Lumakanda, drew large crowds from across Lugari Constituency and neighbouring regions, with tight security in place as mourners gathered to honour a man whose political influence spanned decades.
KANU chairman Gideon Moi was among the high-profile figures present, alongside Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya.
Others leaders present at the event are Busia Governor Paul Otuoma, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, as well as Members of Parliament, MCAs and senior national and county government officials.
The funeral service took place at the Lumakanda grounds, where family members, friends, community elders and political leaders paid glowing tributes to Jirongo, describing him as a bold, influential and grassroots-oriented leader who left a lasting mark on Kenyan politics.
Speakers recalled Jirongo’s time as Lugari Member of Parliament and his role as a seasoned political mobiliser whose reach cut across party lines.
Several leaders urged unity among Kenyans, saying Jirongo believed in dialogue and inclusive leadership.
Jirongo,64, a former MP for Lugari and businessman died on December 13, 2025, in a road traffic accident along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway near Karai in Naivasha, after the vehicle he was driving collided head-on with a passenger bus. He was 64.
His burial in Lumakanda marked the end of a significant chapter in the political history of western Kenya, as mourners bade farewell to a figure many described as outspoken, fearless and deeply connected to the people.
