Dozens of mourners were injured, many seriously, during the state funeral of Kenya’s opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Friday after a stampede occurred as crowds rushed to view his coffin.
The tragic incident came a day after at least three people were killed when security forces opened fire to disperse a crowd gathered at a separate ceremony to see Odinga’s body.
Odinga, aged 80, died on Wednesday from a suspected heart attack at a health clinic in southern India, prompting a nationwide outpouring of grief. Fondly called “Baba” (Father) by his supporters, Odinga was widely regarded as one of Kenya’s most influential political figures.
President William Ruto, speaking at the funeral, paid tribute to Odinga, describing him as “a movement for change, a movement for justice… for a better and greater Kenya.”
Moments after Ruto’s remarks, a surge of mourners attempting to reach the coffin on the pitch caused chaos, leaving many crushed or collapsed. Emergency responders and ambulances rushed to treat the injured, several of whom suffered broken bones and breathing difficulties.
Odinga served as Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 and was instrumental in restoring multi-party democracy in the 1990s. Despite contesting the presidency five times without success, he was hailed as a national figure who shaped the country’s political evolution and the 2010 Constitution.
“I have freedom of speech because of Raila… I’m here because he is the father,” said Paul Oloo, a supporter at the funeral.
On Thursday, violence erupted when Odinga’s body was brought back from India and displayed at another stadium in Nairobi. As large crowds surged toward a VIP gate, security forces opened fire, killing at least three people. A human rights group, VOCAL Africa, reported the deaths based on information from the city morgue, where bodies bearing gunshot wounds were seen.
“The excessive use of force against mourners is totally unwarranted,” said Hussein Khalid, head of VOCAL Africa. “We are calling on the police to exercise utmost restraint… We don’t want to see more deaths associated with this funeral.”
Odinga’s body will be taken to his family’s home region in western Kenya on Saturday for final tributes, followed by a private burial on Sunday.
His death has left a leadership vacuum in Kenya’s opposition ahead of the country’s next general elections in 2027.
