Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has mourned the death of Cyrus Jirongo, revealing that he only recently learnt that the former politician had died.
In a statement on Monday, September 21, Museveni said he had not been aware of Jirongo’s death, which occurred in December following a road accident.
“I have just learnt that Senator Cyrus Jirongo passed away last December in a motor accident. I was not aware that he had died,” he said.
Museveni described Jirongo as a patriotic Kenyan leader who served his country with dedication, saying his death was a loss that would be felt by many.
“This is very sad. Jirongo was a good and patriotic leader who served his country with dedication. We shall miss him. My condolences go to his family, relatives, friends and the people of Kenya. May his soul rest in peace,” he added.
This came after Museveni revealed that Jirongo was the one who informed him that Uganda was purchasing petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya.
In a statement on Sunday, September 20, he said the late Jirongo briefed him on the matter in 2019, and he directed the then Energy Minister Irene Muloni to address the issue.
Museveni noted that he was unaware that Uganda was purchasing petroleum products through middlemen operating in Kenya.
“In, for instance, the matter of purchasing Petroleum products for the country- a whole country- Uganda- I did not know that these wonderful People were buying those products through middlemen in Kenya by tendering to those middlemen.
“It was a Kenyan Senator called Jirongo who told me this around 2019. I immediately tasked the then Minister Irene Muloni to sort out that mess,” the statement read in part.
However, Museveni said nothing changed until August 2023 when Uganda entered into an arrangement with Vitol, a global energy company.
According to Museveni, the agreement with Vitol has resulted in lower prices for petroleum products, with the price of diesel dropping from USD 118 to USD 83 per metric ton, while petrol dropped from USD 97.50 to USD 61.50.
The price of aviation fuel, on the other hand, fell from USD 114.25 to USD 79.25 per metric ton.
Museveni thanked his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto for supporting the new arrangement.
“I want to thank Ruto because he prevailed over some actors in Kenya who were trying to resist.
“That is how we got our new arrangement, and the Kenya Government allows us to pump our products through the Kenya oil pipeline, in which the Kenya Government allowed us to have shares of 20.15%,” he added.