NAIROBI, Kenya – Chaos erupted at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday morning as hundreds of mourners broke through security barriers to witness the arrival of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s body.
Security officers were briefly overwhelmed when crowds surged past the VIP gates moments after the Kenya Airways plane carrying Odinga’s remains touched down from India at around 9:30 a.m.
The situation prompted a swift intervention by the military, police, and National Youth Service officers, who formed a tight cordon around the aircraft and the casket to prevent further breaches.
President William Ruto, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and other senior government officials who had gathered at the airport to receive the body were briefly escorted back to the VIP lounge as the military hearse prepared to leave the tarmac.
Outside the airport, a massive crowd of mourners—many chanting, waving flags, and holding portraits of the late ODM leader—struggled to access the grounds.
Police officers at the main gates tried to restrain the swelling crowd, but their efforts proved futile as mourners insisted on witnessing what many called Raila’s “final homecoming.”
Authorities have since warned motorists to expect heavy traffic along Mombasa Road and adjoining routes as the funeral convoy makes its way from JKIA to the Lee Funeral Home.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, addressing mourners at the airport, announced that the convoy would use Mombasa Road instead of the Nairobi Expressway “to allow Kenyans to pay their last respects” as the procession moves through the city.
From Lee Funeral Home, Raila’s body will be taken to Parliament Buildings, where it will lie in state for public viewing ahead of his burial on Sunday.
Police have mounted tight security along the route to ensure order and facilitate the movement of the state funeral motorcade.
Odinga, who passed away on Wednesday morning in India, is being accorded full state honours in recognition of his decades-long fight for democracy, reform, and national unity.
