NAIROBI, Kenya – At least four people were shot dead on Thursday when chaos broke out at the Kasarani International Stadium in Nairobi during the public viewing of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s body.
The incident occurred as thousands of mourners thronged the 48,000-seater stadium to pay their last respects to the veteran opposition leader, whose death in India on Wednesday plunged the nation into mourning.
Witnesses said police opened fire and lobbed tear gas after sections of the crowd breached security barriers in a rush to reach the casket.
“People were pushing and shouting. Then we heard gunshots and everyone started running,” said a witness who had queued since dawn.
Footage aired live by local broadcasters showed panicked mourners scattering as gunfire echoed across the stands.
Some were seen hurling stones at police officers, triggering running battles both inside and outside the venue.
A section of the crowd reportedly tried to force its way toward the presidential dais, where President William Ruto, members of the Odinga family, and other dignitaries had gathered for the ceremony.
Earlier, police had struggled to contain the massive turnout despite heavy deployment. Tear gas had been fired intermittently to disperse restless mourners who defied crowd-control measures.
Airport Commotion Before the Ceremony
The day began in chaos when mourners overwhelmed security at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where Odinga’s body—draped in the national flag—was flown in from India.
Operations at the airport were briefly suspended for nearly two hours after people breached restricted areas in a bid to glimpse the casket. The Kenya Airports Authority later confirmed a “precautionary closure” was enforced before normal operations resumed.
Following the airport disruption, the government shifted the planned public viewing from Parliament Buildings to Kasarani Stadium to accommodate the unexpectedly large crowds.
“At first, everything was set at Parliament Buildings, but the crowd was simply uncontrollable,” a senior official at Lee Funeral Home told journalists. “The mortician and his team have now left in the military van for Kasarani.”
By early morning, long queues had already snaked around Parliament and City Hall Way, with some mourners scaling perimeter walls in anticipation of the procession.
National Mourning and Funeral Plans
President Ruto, who declared a seven-day national mourning period, announced that Odinga would be accorded a state funeral with full military honors.
The funeral will take place on Friday at Nyayo National Stadium, followed by a procession to Kisumu on Saturday.
Members of the public will have another opportunity to view the body before Odinga is laid to rest on Sunday at his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Odinga, 80, reportedly collapsed during a morning walk in the Indian state of Kerala and was pronounced dead at Devamatha Hospital near Kochi. Family sources said he had expressed a wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death.
The tragedy at Kasarani has cast a dark shadow over what was meant to be a day of national unity and reflection on the life of one of Kenya’s most influential political figures.
