NAIROBI, Kenya — Former U.S. President Barack Obama’s half-sister, Dr. Auma Obama, has strongly condemned the killing of mourners at the Kasarani Stadium, where chaos broke out during the public viewing of the body of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.
Witnesses said four people were killed and several others injured after police opened live fire on crowds that had filled the 60,000-capacity stadium. The mourners, many draped in flags and portraits of the opposition leader, had gathered early to pay their final respects when the situation spiraled into tragedy.
According to eyewitness accounts and reports, a special police squad fired into the crowd while anti-riot officers lobbed teargas canisters, allegedly to disperse thousands trying to access the inner stands.
Some of those shot were reportedly seated on the terraces and posed no threat to anyone, including leaders who were safely inside the VIP lounge.
Condemning the violence in a passionate post on X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Auma Obama wrote:
“Oh my God! This is the current government’s Kenya. Once again pointing the gun at its own people! Possibly at those that voted them into government — their employers, literally! It is our taxpayer money that pays them. So yes, WHY?”
Dr. Auma, a respected social activist and founder of the Sauti Kuu Foundation, described the shootings as “a heartbreaking betrayal of the people by their own government,” calling for justice and accountability.
Her remarks have ignited a wave of outrage and renewed calls for restraint from human rights organizations, opposition figures, and international observers. Many have termed the incident a dark stain on what was meant to be a day of national unity and remembrance.
Police sources have hinted at an internal review into the circumstances surrounding the shootings, though the government has yet to issue an official statement.
As Kenya continues to mourn the late Raila Odinga, one of its most influential political figures, the tragedy at Kasarani has cast a somber shadow over the national farewell, turning a moment of collective grief into one of collective outrage.
“Baba stood for justice and democracy,” one mourner said outside the stadium. “It’s painful that even in his death, Kenyans are still being met with bullets instead of dignity.”
