Climax bus driver Kamau Githinji describes the moments leading to the fatal crash that killed former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo on December 13, 2025. Photo/Handout
By Newsflash Writer
The driver of the Climax Coach bus involved in the fatal crash that claimed the life of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has narrated the tense moments before the collision, saying he was confronted with a split-second decision that left him with no safe alternative.
The accident happened in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, 2025, along the Nakuru–Naivasha Highway.
Kamau Githinji, a Climax Coach driver with eight years’ experience, said he was travelling from Nairobi to Busia and had 65 passengers on board when the crash occurred.
Driver’s account of the crash
“I was coming from Nairobi heading to Busia,” Githinji said, explaining that the collision happened early in the morning.
He stated that the accident involved his bus and a Mercedes-Benz that entered the highway from a petrol station without giving way.
“Usiku ya leo ilitokea accident. Mercedes ilikuwa inatoka kwa mafuta petrol station na mimi natoka Nairobi nikienda Busia. Mercedes hakugive way,” he recounted.
Read more: The life and times of Cyrus Jirongo
According to Githinji, the Mercedes-Benz suddenly joined the highway and veered into his lane, leaving him with little room to manoeuvre.
He said traffic congestion on the other side of the road appeared to influence the Mercedes driver’s decision to cross into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision.
“Aliingia kwa barabara na akaona pande yake gari zimeweka jam akaamua kukuja penye niko tukakutana kichwa na kichwa na yeye,” he said.
Split-second decision on the highway
Githinji noted that while the Mercedes-Benz had only one occupant—the driver—his bus was carrying 65 passengers, a factor that heavily influenced his decision-making.
He explained that although he briefly thought about swerving to avoid the impact, he realised that doing so could have caused the bus to lose control or overturn, endangering many lives.
“Wakati nilijaribu kuokoa nikasikia gari yangu inaweza enda chini sasa mimi nikakanyaga akakuja kama ameniingia,” he said, adding that he chose to remain in his lane to minimise harm to his passengers.
Read more: Kill Me Quick author, Meja Mwangi, dies at 76
The bus driver said he only learned the identity of the Mercedes-Benz driver after police arrived at the scene.
“I didn’t know the Mercedes-Benz driver was Cyrus Jirongo until the police came,” he said.
Githinji conveyed his sympathies to Jirongo’s family, offering his condolences following the tragic incident.
Police said Jirongo, a former Lugari MP and well-known political figure, sustained severe head injuries and died at the scene.
His death has prompted an outpouring of condolences from political leaders, trade union officials and members of the public across the country.
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