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The authorities were overwhelmed by the huge crowds. [File: BBC]
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Nairobi
Chaos erupted in Kenya’s capital on Wednesday after police fired gunshots and tear gas at huge crowds of mourners gathered to view the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at a stadium in Nairobi.
Panic ensued as thousands of supporters fled in all directions. Several people were reportedly injured during the commotion as security officers struggled to contain surging crowds that had broken through barricades to get closer to the body. It remains unclear whether the police used live ammunition or rubber bullets during the operation.
Odinga’s body had earlier been flown back from India, where he died on Wednesday morning. Thousands of supporters thronged Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive the coffin, an emotional gathering that briefly disrupted flight operations. Authorities said mourners had entered restricted areas at the airport, prompting a “precautionary closure” that lasted about two hours.
From the airport, a massive procession accompanied the hearse carrying Odinga’s body to Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the city centre. The public viewing was relocated there from the Parliament Building, where it was initially scheduled, due to the unexpectedly large crowds.
The convoy arrived to a packed stadium, with even more mourners waiting outside. Minutes later, witnesses said, a section of the crowd forced open one of the arena gates, prompting police to fire tear gas canisters. Many people were seen rushing for safety amid choking fumes and gunfire.
A BBC reporter at the scene said men in civilian clothes were also seen beating protesters with batons. According to AFP, at least three people were visibly injured, including one with a serious head wound.
Earlier in the day, large groups of mourners had gathered outside Lee Funeral Home and near Parliament, awaiting the procession.
“I came here at six in the morning. We were at the airport to welcome Baba,” one mourner told the BBC, using Odinga’s popular nickname. “We are sad. We have been left as orphans. He is our father.”
Motorcycle rider William Otieno Adoyo described himself as a “Baba die-hard.”
“We want to see Baba. How do we know it’s him in the casket? Let them show us, and we’ll be content,” he said.
Hundreds of Mourners went to the airport [File: BBC]
Many mourners waved twigs and palm branches — traditional symbols of mourning among the Luo, Odinga’s ethnic community.
A state funeral will be held at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Friday, followed by a public viewing in Kisumu on Saturday, before burial on Sunday at his family home in Bondo, about 60 kilometres west of Kisumu.
Family members said it was Odinga’s wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death.
Odinga, 80, reportedly collapsed during a morning walk in India and was rushed to Devamatha Hospital, about 50 kilometres east of the port city of Kochi, where he was pronounced dead.
President William Ruto declared a seven-day national mourning period and announced that Odinga would be accorded a state funeral with full military honours.
Raila Odinga was a towering figure in Kenyan politics, long regarded as the face of the country’s opposition. Over a political career spanning decades, he contested the presidency five times, most recently three years ago. His legacy includes a central role in the struggle for multi-party democracy and significant influence over Kenya’s modern political landscape.
Torch Media Africa
