A political storm is gathering around the death of veteran politician Cyrus Jirongo, with opposition figures now publicly calling on National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to detail his last encounter with the former Lugari MP just hours before his fatal crash.

The demand, led by Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, thrusts the Speaker into the centre of a deepening mystery that has captivated the nation. It raises urgent questions about the final hours of a man who was both an influential and controversial figure in Kenyan politics, forcing investigators to account for a timeline that many, including Jirongo's own family, say does not add up.

Speaking after visiting the Jirongo family home in Nairobi on Tuesday, Gachagua questioned the silence of those who were with the political heavyweight before his death. “Kenyans are asking, who were the last people to be seen with Cyrus Jirongo? Why are they quiet?” Gachagua asked. He insisted that Speaker Wetang'ula should provide a “very good account” of Jirongo's plans and state of mind during their meeting.

A Timeline Under Scrutiny

Speaker Wetang'ula has already confirmed meeting Jirongo on the evening of Jamhuri Day, December 12th, at a restaurant in Karen. According to the Speaker's account, Jirongo initiated the meeting, and the two spoke for about an hour, from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Wetang'ula stated he excused himself to rest for a planned trip the next day, leaving Jirongo with other friends. He learned of the death the following morning through text messages.

However, the official police report places Jirongo's death in the early hours of December 13th, in a head-on collision with a bus near Karai, along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway—many kilometres and in a different direction from his supposed route home to Gigiri. This geographical discrepancy is the core of the family's skepticism.

• The Meeting: Wetang'ula and Jirongo met in Karen between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM.
• The Intended Destination: Family and associates understood Jirongo was heading to his Gigiri home from Karen.
• The Crash Scene: The fatal accident occurred around 2:19 AM on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, far from the expected route.

Echoes of a Dark Past

In a move laden with historical significance, Gachagua compared Jirongo's death to the 1975 assassination of populist politician J.M. Kariuki, a case that remains officially unsolved. The comparison taps into a deep vein of public mistrust and suspicion regarding the deaths of prominent political figures in Kenya.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is now examining CCTV footage from a petrol station Jirongo visited moments before the crash and is recording statements from everyone he interacted with that night. The funeral committee, chaired by former MP Fred Gumo, has welcomed Wetang'ula's initial explanation given to the family but joins the call for a thorough and transparent investigation to answer the lingering questions.

As investigators piece together Jirongo's final journey, the nation waits, and the pressure on public figures like Wetang'ula to provide clarity will only continue to mount. The demand is not just for answers about a car crash, but for reassurance that the full truth behind the death of a political giant will be brought to light.