People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has revealed that the late former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo had expressed concerns about his personal safety shortly before his untimely death.

Karua said Jirongo’s concerns raise questions that continue to linger around the circumstances of the fatal accident.

Speaking during a memorial service held in Nairobi in honour of Jirongo, Karua disclosed that the veteran politician had been in the process of making arrangements to enhance his security.

According to Karua, the tragic road accident occurred before Jirongo could fully implement measures to improve his personal safety.

“Those questions will linger, but for now, we will stand with the family to say farewell to a person who had a large heart,” Karua said during her address at the service.

She added that while the family and friends were focused on mourning and celebrating Jirongo’s life, controversial questions surrounding his death were likely to persist over time.

Family members, close friends, political allies and members of the public converged at Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM), Valley Road, for the memorial church service, which marked the beginning of a four-day funeral programme ahead of his burial.

Jirongo, a seasoned politician and businessman, died on December 13, 2025, in a grisly road accident along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway near Karai area in Naivasha.

His Mercedes-Benz vehicle collided head-on with a Climax Coaches passenger bus, leading to his instant death. He was 64 years old.

A post-mortem examination conducted at Lee Funeral Home later confirmed that Jirongo died from extensive blunt force trauma. According to the report, he sustained severe injuries to the chest, abdomen and spine, as well as multiple fractures, consistent with the impact of a high-speed collision.

In her tribute, Karua described Jirongo as a generous and compassionate man who related with people beyond political or ethnic boundaries.

“He not only loved the Mulembe Nation but humanity. Those in the political space, let us carry on the work of improving Kenya,” she urged.

Karua further described the former MP as a long-time friend and colleague who remained deeply committed to the betterment and well-being of the country throughout his political career.

She noted that Jirongo was often guided by principles of fairness, inclusion and national unity, even during turbulent political seasons.

The memorial service at CITAM will be followed by an overnight vigil at Jirongo’s family residence in Gigiri, Nairobi, where mourners will gather to pay their last respects and share memories of his life and legacy. Further funeral services are scheduled to be held in Kitale on Sunday, December 28, before his remains are transported to Lumakanda, Lugari Constituency, Kakamega County, on Monday. Jirongo will be laid to rest at his rural home on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. By Allan Kisia, The Star