Nairobi, Kenya – Three people were reportedly shot and killed by police at Kasarani International Stadium in Nairobi after chaos erupted during the public viewing of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s body.
Thousands of mourners had packed the 48,000-seat stadium to pay their last respects to the veteran opposition leader, whose sudden death in India on Wednesday plunged the country into national mourning.
Witnesses said police opened fire with live bullets and tear gas when a restless crowd pushed through security barriers in an attempt to get closer to the casket. Live footage broadcast by local media showed mourners fleeing in panic as gunfire echoed across the stadium. Some individuals were seen throwing stones at police officers, triggering running battles inside and outside the venue.
A section of the crowd reportedly attempted to force its way toward the presidential dais, where President William Ruto and other national leaders had gathered for the ceremony.
Earlier in the day, security forces had already used tear gas to disperse impatient mourners who defied crowd-control measures. Despite a heavy deployment of police and military, officers were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the crowd.
A somber mood had earlier gripped Nairobi as Odinga’s body—draped in the national flag—was flown into the country and received by senior government officials and family members at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Operations at the airport were briefly suspended for nearly two hours after mourners breached security and entered restricted areas to catch a glimpse of the casket. The Kenya Airports Authority later confirmed that a “precautionary closure” had been temporarily enforced, before normal operations resumed.
In response to the commotion, the government shifted the planned public viewing from Parliament Buildings to Kasarani Stadium to accommodate the unexpectedly large turnout.
“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 a military van for Kasarani.”
By early morning, long queues had already formed along Parliament Road and City Hall Way, with some mourners attempting to scale perimeter walls in anticipation of the body’s arrival.
President Ruto, joined by members of the Odinga family and several dignitaries, was expected to lead the first round of viewing before opening it to the public.
The government has declared a seven-day period of national mourning in honor of Odinga, 80, a towering figure in Kenyan politics and a key architect of the country’s multi-party democracy.
President Ruto also announced that Odinga will be accorded a state funeral with full military honors. The main funeral service will be held on Friday at Nyayo National Stadium, followed by a procession to Kisumu, his political stronghold, on Saturday.
Members of the public will have another opportunity to view the body before his final burial on Sunday at his ancestral home in Bondo, approximately 60 kilometers west of Kisumu.
According to family sources, Odinga collapsed during a morning walk in the Indian state of Kerala and was later pronounced dead at Devamatha Hospital, about 50 kilometers from the port city of Kochi.
He had reportedly expressed a wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death, a wish the family and government are working to honor despite logistical challenges.
