Tens of thousands of Kenyans fled in panic on Thursday after security forces opened fire and used tear gas on mourners gathered at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi to view the body of opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose remains were repatriated from India earlier in the day.
According to AFP journalists, at least three people were injured during the chaos, with one man seen lying motionless as blood streamed from his head. Witnesses said security personnel fired into the air and beat mourners attempting to flee the stands.
Odinga, 80, a towering figure in Kenyan politics affectionately known as “Baba” (father), died on Wednesday at a health facility in southern India, sparking an outpouring of grief across the country. A five-time presidential candidate and champion of democratic reform, Odinga served as Kenya’s prime minister from 2008 to 2013.
Earlier in the day, large crowds had gathered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive his coffin, forcing aviation authorities to temporarily suspend some flights. The body was initially scheduled to be taken to Parliament for viewing, but with supporters scaling the gates, officials diverted the procession to Kasarani Stadium on the outskirts of the capital.
The situation turned chaotic when the coffin arrived, as the surging crowd tried to push through barriers for a glimpse of the late leader. Gunfire soon erupted, sending mourners scrambling for safety.
“Why would police use teargas and ammunition to disperse mourners?” presidential candidate Martha Karua asked on X, sharing a video of the pandemonium.
President William Ruto, accompanied by members of Odinga’s family and senior government officials, arrived at the stadium shortly after the incident and paid his respects privately beside the coffin. Calm was later restored as thousands of mourners returned to queue for the public viewing.
Ruto has since declared seven days of national mourning in honor of Odinga, with a state funeral scheduled for Friday in Nairobi. Odinga’s body will then be transported to his ancestral home in Bondo, western Kenya, where he will be buried on Sunday.
Images from the stadium showed Ida Odinga, the widow of the late leader, alongside their son Raila Odinga Jr., paying their respects as military pallbearers stood guard beside the coffin draped in the national flag.
Mourners across the country described Odinga as a fearless patriot and symbol of resilience.
“Baba, we knew you were the only one who could take us to Canaan — the promised land,” said Michael Omondi, a youth leader from Odinga’s party who had gathered at the airport.
Born on January 7, 1945, to a future vice president, Raila Odinga spent much of his early political life in jail or exile, resisting the autocratic rule of President Daniel arap Moi. Despite his five unsuccessful presidential bids, he remained one of Kenya’s most influential and unifying political figures.
His death leaves a major leadership vacuum in the opposition ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections, with no clear successor in sight.
