“Cyrus would have asked the hard questions”: Wamalwa on Jirongo’s role in looming referendum debate

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has said the late former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo would have played a critical role in shaping the emerging national debate on constitutional amendments and a possible referendum ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Wamalwa spoke on Saturday, December 27, 2025, during Jirongo’s requiem mass held at Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) Valley Road in Nairobi.

He described Jirongo as a fearless and outspoken leader whose absence will be deeply felt at a time when the country is once again debating constitutional reform.

According to Wamalwa, Jirongo was never afraid to challenge authority and would have provided a strong counterbalance in discussions surrounding proposed changes to the Constitution.

“We all know that Cyrus was a politician who spoke his mind and spoke truth to power,” Wamalwa said. 

“He has left us at a time when the debate on a referendum and constitutional review has just begun, and this is exactly when his voice would have been needed most.”

The DAP-K party leader noted that Kenya is entering a sensitive phase, with renewed talk of constitutional amendments and references to governance models such as Singapore’s. 

He said Jirongo would likely have interrogated these ideas critically and demanded clarity on their relevance to Kenya’s current challenges.

“That conversation has just started,” Wamalwa said. 

“This is the time we would have wanted the dynamite voice of Cyrus Jirongo to contribute to this national discourse.”

Wamalwa suggested that Jirongo, drawing from his long political experience, would have questioned the timing and priorities of pushing constitutional changes when many Kenyans are struggling economically. 

He said the late politician was known for grounding political debates in the lived realities of ordinary citizens.

“I am sure Cyrus would have reminded us that we have been here before — at Bomas, at NARC, and during the BBI process,” Wamalwa said. 

“He would probably ask whether constitutional amendments are truly our top national priority at a time when many families cannot put food on the table.”

He painted a picture of the arguments Jirongo might have raised, saying the former MP would have challenged leaders to confront hunger, poverty and inequality before embarking on major constitutional reforms.

“Half of the country is struggling. Many families did not celebrate Christmas because they have nothing,” Wamalwa said. 

“From parts of northern Kenya and across the region, people are facing starvation, and yet we are debating governance models like Singapore. Cyrus would have questioned that very sharply.”

Beyond economic hardship, Wamalwa said Jirongo would also have spoken strongly about the state of critical public institutions. 

He cited challenges in the health sector as an example of issues Jirongo would have prioritised in national debates.

“He would have asked why our health system is in such distress,” Wamalwa said. 

“For the first time, Kenyatta National Hospital is under immense strain, and long-standing mission hospitals like St Mary’s in Kakamega are struggling to survive. Cyrus would have demanded answers.”

Wamalwa said Jirongo’s ability to speak bluntly, regardless of political consequences, made him a rare figure in Kenyan politics. 

He added that the country risks losing an important voice that consistently pushed leaders to focus on accountability and public interest.

“We will miss that voice that spoke truth to power,” Wamalwa said. 

“But even in his absence, we must carry on that fight and continue to ask the hard questions.”

The requiem mass brought together political leaders from across the political divide, family members and friends, all united in mourning Jirongo’s death. 

The former MP died in a road accident on December 13, 2025, along the Nairobi–Nakuru highway.

Jirongo will be laid to rest at his Lumakanda home on December 30, 2025.