NAIROBI.The Kenyan police have prompted to fire bullets in the air and lobbed teargas to disperse mourners who attempted to force their way into the VIP section of Kasarani Stadium to view the body of fallen Ex- Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Tens of thousands of Kenyans had walked for over 30 kilometres from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Kasarani Stadium in a massive display of grief and affection for the man widely regarded as the father of Kenyan democracy.
By mid-morning, the 60,000-seater stadium had filled to capacity, forcing security personnel to close the gates.
The National Funeral Committee had earlier shifted the venue for public viewing from Parliament to Kasarani to accommodate the surging crowds, but the venue too was quickly overwhelmed.
Witnesses said tension began to build after mourners, some of whom had been inside the stadium since dawn, waited for more than an hour without hearing from the leaders or being allowed to approach the casket.
Chants of “Tunataka kumuona Baba!” (We want to see Baba) grew louder as the crowd surged toward the VIP section, where the late Odinga’s body lay in state under heavy security.
Police responded by firing warning shots and releasing teargas canisters into the stands to disperse the crowd. Scenes of chaos followed, with people scampering for safety and several fainting amid the stampede.
At least one person was seen lying motionless on the pitch moments after order was restored, though officials had not confirmed any fatalities by press time.
Red Cross medics were seen attending to those injured or affected by the teargas.
Outside the stadium, long columns of mourners — many carrying flags, portraits, and flowers — continued to sing freedom songs associated with Odinga’s decades-long struggle for democracy.
Earlier in the day, the body of the former Prime Minister arrived at JKIA from Mumbai in India aboard a chartered Kenya Airways flight. But the crowd overwhelmed airport security and stormed the restricted area, climbing into the Boeing 737 and crowding it.
President William Ruto was forced to abandon the official ceremony of receiving the body at JKIA with the military taking over the transportation of to Parliament.
From there, a sea of mourners escorted the motorcade for nearly six hours to Kasarani, chanting and waving placards inscribed with messages of love, defiance, and farewell.
The spontaneous procession brought traffic in much of Nairobi to a standstill, as thousands lined the highways to catch a glimpse of the hearse carrying Odinga’s casket draped in the Kenyan flag.
The outpouring of grief reflected the deep connection Odinga held with ordinary citizens — a bond forged through years of political struggle, imprisonment, and his enduring message of reform.
Odinga’s body will remain at Kasarani for public viewing before being flown to Kisumu on Friday ahead of burial on Sunday at his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Authorities have urged calm and appealed for patience as more viewing arrangements are organized to allow as many Kenyans as possible to pay their final respects.