Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has weighed in on a heated online debate about traditional burial rituals in Kenya. She pointed out that people dismissing the power of a torch buried with Jacob Juma are ignoring reality. Several prominent figures have died since his 2016 burial.
The comment came up as Kenyans discuss the recent death of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. He passed away in a road accident on December 13, 2025, along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway. Some leaders and elders suggested burying him with a torch. In Luhya customs, this is believed to help the spirit pursue those responsible for an unnatural death.
Moses Kuria, a close ally and economic adviser to former President William Ruto, even offered to buy the torch during Jirongo’s requiem mass on December 27.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale showed up at the home with a torch and spear. Other politicians echoed the idea.
Orwoba’s words seem to reference this. She said those claiming Jacob Juma was buried with a torch and nothing happened are ignorant.
Many politicians and former state officials have died since then. She wrote in Swahili about the torch going out on one of them.
Jacob Juma, a businessman known for speaking out against corruption, was shot dead in Nairobi in May 2016. Gunmen on motorbikes attacked his car near Lenana School. Before the burial in Bungoma, family and clan elders talked openly about Luhya rites.
They planned to place a torch, knife, and sometimes other items in the grave. The idea is the spirit uses them to haunt killers until justice comes.
Reports from that time show the coffin was opened in the grave. Some say the ritual happened quietly alongside the Christian service. Elders later hinted it worked but stayed vague, as tradition requires silence.
Since 2016, Kenya has seen several high-profile deaths. Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaisserry died suddenly in 2017. IEBC official Chris Msando was tortured and killed just before the 2017 elections.
Sergeant John Kenei, linked to a scandal involving former DP Ruto’s office, was found shot in 2020. Many others, like MPs and local leaders, passed in unclear ways.
Orwoba, who was nominated by UDA but later expelled in May 2025 over party disputes, often speaks on social issues. She gained fame for menstrual hygiene advocacy. Now out of the Senate, she stays active online.
The torch talk ties into bigger worries about suspicious deaths in Kenya. Jirongo’s crash raised questions. Police ruled out foul play after investigations. They found no links to others in the area. But some from Western Kenya call it the latest in a pattern. They mention Juma too.
Elders explain the ritual simply. The torch lights the way for the spirit to find wrongdoers. It denies them peace. A knife or panga gives power to strike back. Not all families do it. Some stick to church ways.
In Jirongo’s case, one elder said women and children might not attend if the torch is used. It changes the funeral mood. The burial is set for December 30 in Lumakanda.
These customs mix with modern life. Many young Kenyans see them as superstition. Others respect them as cultural justice when systems fail.
Orwoba’s post got shares fast. People argue both sides. Some say coincidence explains the deaths. Others point to unresolved cases.
Kenya has a history of political killings going back decades. Tom Mboya in 1969. JM Kariuki in 1975. Robert Ouko in 1990. Recent ones add to the list.
Families seek closure any way they can. Rituals offer that for some. Police probes continue for others.
As Jirongo’s send-off nears, the debate keeps going. Orwoba reminded everyone of past examples. Whether the torch goes in or not, questions linger.
People in Western Kenya watch closely. Mourners gather. Leaders speak. Tradition and doubt mix in the air.
Stories like this show how culture handles grief and suspicion. Not everyone agrees. But the talk spreads.
