At a quarter past 2am on Saturday, former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, who was driving himself and alone in a white Mercedes-Benz, drove into Eagol Petrol Station in Karai, Naivasha, along the busy Nairobi–Nakuru Highway.
He was heading towards Nairobi and, on arriving at the petrol station — which is on the opposite side of his direction of travel — branched into it as if to head to a pump to fuel his car.
Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo dies in road crash
Instead, he passed all the pumps, made a turn and headed back onto the road.
It was while re-joining the highway that the former MP made the fatal mistake, according to a reconstruction by witnesses who spoke to the Daily Nation .
The wreckage of the Mercedes Benz that former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo was driving before a road crash that claimed his life on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on December 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
On joining the highway, he continued driving in the lane used by oncoming traffic — vehicles travelling from Nairobi towards Nakuru.
That was when a loud bang was heard, a petrol attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing the need for privacy, said.
The Mercedes-Benz driven by Mr Jirongo had collided head-on with a bus belonging to Climax Company that was travelling from Nairobi towards Nakuru.
After the head-on collision, the Mercedes-Benz was dragged a few metres from the point of impact before the bus eventually stopped, the attendant said.
The bus belonging to Climax Company that collided head-on with former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo's Mercedes Benz on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on December 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
He said he rushed to the scene and tried to open the car door, but it was locked. He peeped inside and saw a man slumped over the steering wheel, facing downwards, with blood visible on his head.
According to the attendant, he called the emergency number at 2:37am to notify the police before attempting to stop a lorry for assistance. Although another driver later stopped to help, the occupant of the Mercedes-Benz was said to have died by then.
“I was alone at that time. Drivers usually pass through the station, so I tried stopping a lorry heading towards Nairobi, but it did not stop. A few minutes later, another one passed and agreed to stop. We tried to help the occupant in the Mercedes-Benz, but we realised he was no more,” he said.
The wreckage of the Mercedes Benz that former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo was driving before a road crash that claimed his life on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on December 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Mr Tirus Kamau, the driver of the Climax bus, confirmed the attendant’s account—but with slight additions.
He said the Mercedes-Benz was heading towards Nairobi and that shortly before the accident there was a slight traffic jam in his lane.
Mr Kamau said Mr Jirongo attempted to overtake and veered into his lane, leading to the collision.
Tirus Kamau, the driver of the bus that collided head-on with former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo's Mercedes Benz at the scene of the crash on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on December 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The driver, who has more than eight years’ experience, said he was ferrying 65 passengers, while Mr Jirongo was alone in the Mercedes-Benz.
“I was heading to Busia from Nairobi, and the Mercedes-Benz was coming from the opposite direction. He did not give way; he was attempting to overtake another vehicle when the collision occurred. I later learnt it was a former MP,” he said.
The official police report on the accident said: “It happened that one Cyrus Jirongo, aged 64 years, was driving motor vehicle KCZ 350C, a Mercedes-Benz, from the Nakuru direction towards Nairobi. Upon reaching the accident location, he failed to keep to his lane and collided head-on with an oncoming motor vehicle KCU 576A, a bus belonging to Climax Company, driven by Tiras Kamau Githinji, aged 52. As a result of the accident, the driver of KCZ 305C sustained serious head injuries and died on the spot. The scene was visited and necessary action taken.”
Tirus Kamau, the driver of the bus that collided head-on with former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo's Mercedes Benz at the scene of the crash on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on December 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Mr Jirongo’s body was moved to Naivasha Sub-County Hospital mortuary before being transferred to Lee Funeral Home.
The vehicles were towed to Naivasha Police Station, where they are being held pending inspection.
At the station, the wreckage was cordoned off as homicide detectives are expected to take over further investigations.
“We suspect he may have had a firearm at the time of the accident, but when the body was moved, officers did not find any. We are waiting for homicide detectives to take over the investigations. No one is allowed near the vehicle,” said an officer.
The former Lugari MP was best known for his leadership of the controversial Youth for Kanu '92 (YK92) movement that supported President Daniel arap Moi's re-election campaign in 1992.
He later served for two terms as Lugari MP — first from 1997 to 2002 on a Kanu ticket, and again from 2007 to 2013 as a Kenya African Democratic Development Union legislator. He was later associated with the United Democratic Movement and Federal Party of Kenya.
The wreckage of the Mercedes Benz that former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo was driving before a road crash that claimed his life on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on December 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
During the final months of the Moi administration that ended in December 2002, he briefly held a Cabinet portfolio as the Minister for Rural Development.
Beyond his parliamentary duties, Jirongo also harboured presidential ambitions, notably contesting the 2017 Kenyan General Election.
He got 11,282 votes in the August poll and just 3,832 in the repeat election in October of the same year after the Supreme Court nullified the first vote
