MONEYBAGS: How UhuRuto stampeded to secure Jirongo’s freedom with Sh4m bail
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto contributed Sh2 million each towards the bail of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, it has emerged.
Mr Jirongo has been sued by businessman Brian Yongo for failing to pay a debt of Sh20 million.
To secure his freedom, Mr Jirongo was required to pay a cash bail of Sh5 million and a surety of the same amount.
However he spent two days in the cells of Muthangari police station after he failed to raise the money.
That is until his powerful friends stepped in. Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa brought the president’s contribution, according to the former legislator.
DP Ruto’s Sh2 million contribution was brought by Sports and Culture CS Rashid Echesa, he added.
Baringo Senator Gideon Moi also contributed Sh1 million. CS Wamalwa stood surety after he deposited the log book of his Mercedes Benz valued Sh9 million.
FROSTY RELATIONSHIP
Francis Atwoli, the Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary general, also offered to contribute Sh2 million but everything had been settled.
“I want to thank all my friends who have stood with me during this challenging time,” Mr Jirongo said.
“Things might be looking down for now, but I am confident I will bounce back strongly. No one should rule me out so long as I still have health and energy.”
The DP’s and Mr Atwoli’s contributions came as a surprise since he and Mr Jirongo have had a frosty relationship in recent times.
On the other hand, Mr Atwoli has sued Mr Jirongo for failing to pay a debt of Sh110 million and it was a surprise that he was still willing to bail him out.
Businessman Sammy Kogo has also sued Mr Jirongo over a debt of Sh700 million.
Last year he successfully obtained bankruptcy orders against Mr Jirongo which was suspended to allow him participate in last year’s presidential election where Mr Jirongo was a candidate.
He performed poorly garnering less than 4,000 votes.
WARRANT OF ARREST
Mr Kogo was in court when Mr Jirongo appeared on Wednesday and it was believed he had a warrant of arrest against the former MP.
However, he was not there when Mr Jirongo was released on Thursday. Mr Jirongo, popularly known as “CJ” by his friends was the chairman of the YK 92 youth lobby group that campaigned for President Daniel arap Moi in the 1992 general elections.
The group is widely suspected to have misused public resources in their campaigns.
His current financial tribulations can be linked to the group. Soon after being sworn in, Moi disbanded the group calling them a bunch of “conmen” and moved to clip the wings of its ambitious chairman, Jirongo.
In short order, his contract with the National Security Social Fund to build houses in South B was cancelled and his company Sololo Outlets was put under receivership.
In recent times Mr Jirongo has tried to revive his fortunes through a mouth-watering deal with businessmen to build 10,000 housing units in his 1,000 acre piece of land in Ruai. However, the deal is yet to go through.