At least four people have died and several others injured in a tragic stampede that erupted on Thursday at a stadium in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, during the lying-in-state ceremony of opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The chaos reportedly broke out after a massive crowd of mourners attempted to force their way into the stadium where Odinga’s body was being displayed for public tribute. Security forces fired shots into the air and deployed teargas to control the surging crowd, leading to panic and casualties.
According to security sources, two people were initially confirmed dead at the venue, but local broadcasters later reported the toll had risen to four, with many sustaining injuries.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and heartbreaking, as thousands of mourners fled for safety while others struggled to assist the injured.
“It was supposed to be a peaceful farewell, but things got out of hand the moment the gates were breached,” one eyewitness told Hobnob News.
Tears and Turmoil as Nation Mourns Odinga
The late Raila Odinga, 80, a revered statesman and long-time opposition leader, passed away on Wednesday in India, where he had been receiving medical treatment.
Following his death, President William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning, with plans for a state funeral in Odinga’s home region.
However, tensions flared early Thursday when crowds of supporters—many from Odinga’s Luo ethnic group—gathered at the stadium and Nairobi’s international airport to pay their respects.
The unrest briefly disrupted operations at the airport, where officials had gathered for a ceremonial reception of Odinga’s body with full military honours. Roads leading to Parliament, where the public viewing was initially planned, were also flooded by mourners.
Odinga’s Legacy: The People’s Leader
Odinga, one of the most influential figures in Kenya’s political history, was a former prime minister and five-time presidential contender. Despite never winning the presidency, he was widely regarded as the face of Kenya’s pro-democracy struggle, having spent years imprisoned during the fight for multi-party rule in the 1980s and 1990s.
“He fought tirelessly for democracy, and the freedoms we enjoy today are because of his courage,” said Felix Ambani Uneck, a university student and mourner at the scene.
Odinga’s leadership helped shape the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, which introduced sweeping democratic reforms. His career was marked by shifting political alliances, passionate advocacy for justice, and enduring popularity among millions of Kenyans who saw him as a defender of the marginalized.
A Nation in Mourning
As investigations into Thursday’s tragedy continue, questions are being raised about security lapses and crowd control at national mourning events.
Authorities have promised a full probe into the incident, even as Kenyans across ethnic and political lines unite in grief over the loss of a man many describe as “the father of modern Kenyan democracy.”
