“I didn’t know having money is a crime because these projects gave my detractors a perfect reason to destroy me. I have never climbed out of my debts.”
He arrived on the political scene with a bang, and only God knows from where.
Cyrus Jirongo is one of those very rare personalities who arrive on the scene fully developed for a purpose and a mission. And then President Daniel arap Moi was such a consummate talent scout that he saw this in the young man at once.
Moi was faced with the political fight of his life. Kenya had returned to political pluralism by law and he had become the first President of Kenya to be faced with an electoral contest. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. He needed a campaigner and a campaign machine like none other in Kenyan electoral history. And he saw both the man and the driver of the machine in Jirongo.
In the prime of his political career, Jirongo, or CJ to both friend and foe and others, had Moi’s ear.
“I was running the show and it’s no secret that I had Moi’s ear,” the former Lugari MP says with self-evident nostalgia for golden days gone by.
And they were truly golden for Jirongo acquired a reputation for being the 1992 poll’s Mr Money Bags that was unprecedented in the eastern African region.
Becoming Chairman of the Youth for Kanu ‘92 lobby group was the beginning of a political career that has soared, glided and stuttered for the past 24 years.
He attributes the stuttering to what he describes as the politics of economic destruction perpetrated by individuals in the Moi regime.
“I had no intention of going into politics,” says the man, whose YK’92 caused a veritable earthquake on the Kenyan political landscape.
“My heart and soul was in business and that is all I wanted to do. Moi nominated me to Parliament in 1993 and I refused.”
Hazina Estate in Nairobi’s South ‘B’, Kemri and Saika estates are the projects he put up soon after 1992 elections and which defined his business model and vision.
But the projects turned into a poisoned chalice that his detractors exploited and used to fight him.
“I didn’t know having money is a crime because these projects gave my detractors a perfect reason to destroy me. I have never climbed out of my debts.”
He denies claims that the activities of YK’92 messed up the economy. “It is ridiculous because everything I did can be seen. I had no money printing machine in my house.”
After many false starts, CJ has cast his eyes on the 2017 presidential contest. “I will be on the ballot because I can do a better job than Uhuru Kenyatta,” he says.
In five minutes
Former Mr. Moneybags turns to politics
1961: Born in Lumakanda, Lugari sub-county, Kakamega county.
1970: Attended Lumakanda DEB Primary School, CPE class of 1977.
1978: Mang’u High School, ‘O’-level class of 1981.
1982: Cambridge University, UK, Diploma in Management.
1992: Forms Youth for Kanu 1992.
1993: Elected chairman of AFC Leopards Football Club.
1997: Elected MP Lugari on Kanu ticket.
2002: Lost the Lugari parliamentary seat to Enock Kibunguchy of Narc.
2007: Elected Lugari MP on Kaddu ticket.
2013: Stood for and lost the Kakamega county senatorial seat to Boni Khalwale.
Quotes
2008: “If you go to Lodwar, there is a fisheries facility. I remember we visited that facility one time with Ekwee Ethuro. That is a highly advanced facility donated by one donor country. The facility has new machines, but it is idle. Why are we creating new facilities when we cannot inject capital into the ones that we have, so that they can generate employment for our young people in this country?
2015: “I have borrowed to carry out my businesses. I supplemented this with the little equity I had. Before I start a business venture, I make it my point to calculate the ratio of debt and equity. And this I have done very carefully. Whether you are talking of Hazina Estate, Saika Estate or Kemri, these were my projects and I can assure you I bought the property before I started developing it.”
2016: : “You cannot ask killers to investigate themselves. Juma slapped Ruto a while back. That is where the problem started and investigations should start there. Those who strangled ICC defence witness Meshack Yebei also assassinated Jacob Juma.
