How Jirongo-Mudavadi rivalry shaped Western politics

The rivalry between Cyrus Jirongo and Musalia Mudavadi defined Western Kenya’s power dynamics for more than two decades. For years, their names symbolised influence, wealth, daring ambition and political audacity on the national stage, embodying the region’s long search for a dominant political figure.

Since the era of Masinde Muliro and later Michael Wamalwa, the region has struggled to sustain a unified political voice. Many believed Jirongo, who rose to prominence during the late President Daniel Moi’s regime, would eventually ascend to that stature and consolidate regional authority.

Both emerged around the same period, setting the stage for a supremacy battle that would shape Western Kenya politics for years.

Yet even at the height of their influence, many grassroots supporters quietly felt that Jirongo stopped just short of greatness, allowing Mudavadi to rise higher. That sentiment resurfaced strongly following Jirongo’s sudden death, with analysts and residents describing him as “the king that was never crowned”.

“Jirongo had everything—money, networks and courage—but Western Kenya politics demands patience and structure. That is where the gap emerged between his progress and that of Mudavadi,” said political analyst Moses Ombayo.

Both men were loyalists of President Moi from the outset of their political careers. They served in Moi’s government. When Jirongo was Minister for Rural Development in 2002, Mudavadi was already a prominent figure and briefly became Vice-President before the General Election later that year.

Early signs of tension appeared in 2002 when both sought one of the four KANU vice-chairmanship positions. Jirongo stepped aside in favour of Mudavadi, a move initially praised as statesmanlike. Insiders, however, say it quietly sowed the seeds of competition.

The rivalry intensified during the 2009 Shinyalu by-election when the two leaders backed rival candidates—Mudavadi through the Orange Democratic Movement and Jirongo via his party, the Kenya African Democratic Development Union (Kaddu).

Jirongo founded Kaddu and used it during his political comeback, notably in the 2007 General Election, when he reclaimed the Lugari parliamentary seat. Mudavadi formed the United Democratic Front and later the Amani National Congress, further entrenching the rivalry.

The rivalry extended to local council politics, with Jirongo accusing Mudavadi of abusing ministerial authority to punish civic leaders aligned to him in Lugari.

“That election was symbolic. It showed the rivalry had moved from boardrooms to the grassroots,” said governance expert Francis Ominde.

Public spat

The rivalry was further amplified by a public spat over the dismissal of ODM-nominated councillors in Lugari. In a statement, Jirongo, then Lugari MP, declared “war” on Mudavadi, who was serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government.

The remarks drew sharp rebuttals, portraying Jirongo as reckless and ignorant of the law governing the nomination and de-gazettement of councillors. The process, it was explained, lay strictly with political parties and the Interim Independent Electoral Commission, with the minister merely formalising decisions through gazettement.

At the time, Mudavadi was championing the Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which sought to reduce nominated councillors and grant them five-year security of tenure. Critics argued Jirongo’s outrage was misplaced, noting that nominated councillors served at the mercy of their sponsoring parties, including Jirongo’s own Kaddu.

Observers noted that in every major confrontation between the two, Jirongo emerged weakened while Mudavadi consolidated his standing. “Jirongo was out for a war that he had no plan to win, while Mudavadi felt too powerful to fight to prove anything,” said Ominde.

The feud reached its most explosive phase in January 2022 when Jirongo repeatedly revisited the Goldenberg scandal, Kenya’s worst economic crisis of the 1990s. He claimed he had unfairly borne the blame while others escaped accountability. 

“I carried the cross, yet those responsible are walking free,” Jirongo said at the time, indirectly linking Mudavadi to businessman Kamlesh Pattni. He also challenged Mudavadi’s moral authority on corruption.

“You cannot sit with a fellow corrupt leader and lecture Kenyans about corruption. That is embarrassing,” Jirongo said.

Analysts viewed the remarks as a final attempt by Jirongo to reclaim relevance by reopening unresolved historical wounds.

Jirongo’s death in a tragic road accident along the Nairobi–Nakuru highway reignited debate over what might have been had he lived on. In Lugari, grief mixed with regret over a man many felt never fully realised his potential. 

Jirongo rose to fame in the early 1990s as the youthful and  flamboyant chairman of Youth for KANU ’92, credited with helping President Moi secure re-election. The group’s free-spending campaign, marked by circulating Sh500 notes, turned “Jirongo” into a household name.

He later translated that influence into electoral success, serving two terms as Lugari MP and holding a Cabinet post. His 1997 parliamentary victory marked the peak of his power, while his 2002 defeat proved decisive.

Despite financial troubles and diminishing influence, Jirongo pursued repeated comebacks—reclaiming Lugari in 2007, contesting the presidency and running for Kakamega governor in 2022.

By contrast, Mudavadi’s career followed a steadier arc. From Vice-President to Prime Cabinet Secretary, his trajectory appeared brighter. After losing Sabatia in 2002, he rebounded in 2007, served as Deputy Prime Minister and contested the presidency in 2013, before re-emerging strongly in 2022 under President William Ruto.