The driver of the Climax Coach bus involved in the fatal road accident that claimed the life of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has narrated the harrowing moments that led to the deadly collision, saying he was forced to make a split-second decision to save dozens of passengers.
The tragic crash occurred in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, 2025, along the busy Nakuru–Naivasha Highway.
Speaking after the incident, Kamau Githinji, a Climax Coach driver with eight years’ experience, said he was driving from Nairobi to Busia with 65 passengers on board when the accident happened.
“I was coming from Nairobi heading to Busia early in the morning when a Mercedes Benz suddenly entered the highway,” Githinji said.
According to the driver, the Mercedes Benz emerged from a petrol station and failed to give way. He said the driver appeared to hesitate after spotting traffic on his side of the road before making a sudden move that put both vehicles on a direct collision course.
“The Mercedes was leaving a petrol station and did not give way. When the driver noticed traffic on his side, he panicked and swerved into my lane,” Githinji explained.
Faced with the situation, Githinji said he briefly considered swerving off the road to avoid the crash but quickly realised that doing so could have caused the bus to overturn, endangering the lives of all the passengers.
“I tried to assess my options, but if I had swerved, the bus could have gone down. I chose to stay on my lane, but he came straight at me,” he said.
The two vehicles collided head-on, killing the driver of the Mercedes Benz on the spot. Police later confirmed that the deceased was Cyrus Jirongo, a former Lugari MP and prominent political figure.
“The car had only one occupant, but my bus had 65 passengers. I could not risk their lives,” Githinji said.
He added that he only learned the identity of the deceased after police officers arrived at the scene.
“I did not know it was Cyrus Jirongo until the police informed us,” he said, expressing condolences to the family.
Jirongo reportedly sustained severe head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have since launched investigations into the accident as passengers were left shaken by the ordeal.
