Cyrus Jirongo. PHOTO/UGC.
By PATRICK MAYOYO
The news of Cyrus Jirongo’s sudden death in a tragic road accident on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway on the morning of December 13, 2025, has left an emptiness that is hard to put into words.
It is not just the loss of a controversial politician or businessman, but of a larger-than-life personality who, for better or worse, helped shape the contours of modern Kenya.
The man who once commanded the youthful fervor of a nation’s political terrain has now been silenced by the very road that so often served as the avenue for his most ambitious ventures.
But I don’t want my views to merely reflect the headlines and the public perception of Cyrus who was fondly referred to as CJ by close confidants. I want to share the man I knew, a man who was as complex as he was magnetic.
The political colossus who once shook Kenya’s political structures with audacity, the businessman who could conjure deals as effortlessly as breathing, and the loyal friend who would give you his last penny if he saw you in need.
To most Kenyans, Cyrus was a name that conjured mixed emotions. To some, he was a symbol of youth empowerment and political ambition, a man who could rouse a crowd with nothing more than a few well-chosen words.
To others, he was a symbol of ambition gone wrong, a man who took risks with both his politics and his business ventures, leading to legal and financial battles that, for a time, seemed to define his later years.
But for me, and I know for many others who were fortunate enough to see the man behind the persona, Cyrus was far more than just the headlines. He was, in many ways, the embodiment of a particular generation’s dreams and struggles.
Born on March 21, 1961, Cyrus was not the kind of person who waited for opportunities to come knocking. He created his own opportunities.
By the time he was in his early 30s, he had already risen to national prominence in the country, not by following the conventional path of higher education and formal credentials, but by sheer force of will and an unshakable confidence in his ability to connect with people.
He didn’t need degrees to lead; he had something far more valuable, an innate understanding of power and influence. His breakthrough came in 1992 when he was thrust into the limelight as the leader of Youth for KANU 92, a political lobby group that played a pivotal role in rallying support for President Daniel arap Moi during Kenya’s first multiparty elections.
I remember the energy and the zeal with which he spoke, his voice cutting through the noise of the political cacophony like a sharp knife. It was clear from the outset that Cyrus wasn’t just a politician; he was a strategist, a master of the art of persuasion.
The group that he led would go on to play a crucial role in not only supporting Moi but in shaping the politics of the time. One of his disciples in YK 92, is President William Ruto.
But Jirongo was always more than just a political figurehead. He was a man who understood the intricacies of political maneuvering. He knew how to build connections, how to work with the right people at the right time.
He was a master tactician, able to anticipate moves before they were made, and to always keep one step ahead of the game. It was this same political genius that earned him a trusted position in Moi’s government as the Minister for Rural Development in 2002, though his political fortunes would soon take a hit.
While most people remember Jirongo for his political exploits, his business ventures were equally significant, though perhaps more controversial.
At the height of his success, Cyrus was known for his rapid-fire business ideas, his uncanny ability to turn a concept into a multi-million-shilling deal with remarkable speed. He could walk into a room, make a phone call, and within minutes, be in the process of securing a land deal worth millions.
Group picture of YK92 members. PHOTO/UGC.
His business dealings ranged from real estate, construction to agriculture, and at one point, he was widely believed to have become a billionaire at a very young age before the wealth vanished under mysterious circumstances.
But Jirongo’s business ventures were not without their pitfalls. For every successful deal, there seemed to be another that ended in debt, legal wrangling, and the kind of financial missteps that would eventually haunt him.
By the time of his death, Jirongo’s name had become synonymous with both business brilliance and financial ruin. The story of how he went from billionaire to bankrupt is one of Kenya’s most compelling cautionary tales.
Yet, to those who knew him, Cyrus was never the kind of person to dwell on failure. He took risks, huge risks and sometimes those risks paid off, and sometimes they didn’t.
But even in the face of mounting debts, legal battles, and the eventual auctioning of his properties, he kept moving forward. He was never one to wallow in self-pity, never one to hide from the consequences of his actions.
He faced the world head-on, just as he had done in politics, with confidence, a little bit of bravado, and the occasional wink that said, “I’m still here, and I’m still fighting.”
Cyrus’s reputation as a businessman and politician was built on ambition, but it was his generosity that truly defined him. For all the talk of financial missteps, for all the courtroom battles and boardroom drama, Cyrus was a man whose heart was far bigger than his bank balance.
He had a deep sense of loyalty to his friends and family, and it was not unusual for him to go out of his way to help someone in need.
I saw this firsthand. He wasn’t just a politician or a businessman; he was a friend in the truest sense of the word.
When some of his close friends passed away, leaving behind children with no means of education, it was Jirongo who stepped in, quietly but steadfastly, to pay their school fees and support their families.
He didn’t make a public spectacle of it; in fact, many people were unaware of the lengths he went to in order to help others. He did it because, for him, loyalty and friendship meant more than money or power.
Cyrus was also known for his deep sense of community. Whether he was hosting a gathering at his home, making donations to causes he believed in, or simply offering a listening ear to someone going through a tough time, he never hesitated to share what he had.
And, yes, while he may have lacked financial discipline at times, his generosity was never in question. In fact, some would argue that it was his kindness that led to some of his financial struggles, he would give without asking for anything in return, sometimes to the point of personal sacrifice.
Cyrus was a polygamist, a man with multiple wives, each from different communities. This, too, was part of his larger-than-life persona. He embraced his role as a patriarch with pride, loving his children with the same fierceness with which he loved his friends.
Despite his busy life, he made time for his family, spending time with his children, teaching them the values of loyalty, ambition, and hard work.
It was during his later years, however, that the loss of one of his daughters, taken far too soon by illness, seemed to bring about a kind of reflection in Jirongo. That tragedy, which he rarely spoke of, seemed to change something in him.
Perhaps it was the deep pain of losing a child, or perhaps it was the realization that life, with all its fleeting moments, was not something to take for granted. In any case, those who knew him during that time said he seemed a little quieter, a little more introspective.
Jirongo was a man of contradictions—ambitious yet generous, brilliant yet flawed, a political strategist yet a business maverick.
He made mistakes, sometimes big ones, and paid the price for them. But he also achieved things that many could only dream of, and his story is one of both triumph and loss.
At his core, Cyrus was a man who lived unapologetically. He took chances, made mistakes, and always bounced back. He may not have been perfect, but he was real, he was human, with all the complexities, flaws, and contradictions that make up a life worth living.
As we say goodbye to Cyrus, I think of the man behind the headlines, the man who could light up a room with his presence, who could inspire with his ideas, and who could offer a helping hand to anyone in need.
He was a man who lived on his own terms, and in doing so, left a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.
Rest in peace, Cyrus. You may have been a giant in politics and business, but you were also a true friend, a father, a brother, and a loyal soul who touched the lives of so many. The world is a little emptier without you in it.
