At least two people lost their lives in Nairobi on Thursday after police opened fire on crowds of mourners who had gathered to view the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Odinga, who passed away from a heart attack in India on Wednesday, was flown back to Kenya on Thursday morning to a wave of grief and national mourning.
Kenya’s head of police operations, Adamson Bungei, confirmed that officers fired shots at the 60,000-capacity stadium in Nairobi, where mourners had assembled for the public viewing ahead of the weekend’s state funeral.
According to authorities, tensions escalated when mourners surged forward, attempting to push through one of the stadium gates. Police responded by firing live bullets and teargas to control the crowd.
Bungei confirmed the deaths of two people, though local media reports suggested the toll could be as high as four.
“What we are seeing is a mockery of democracy. People came in peace to see the mzee [old man], but everything turned chaotic when police began to disrupt the gathering,” said activist Tom Wendo.
The police crackdown sent mourners running for safety, triggering a stampede that left several people injured.The situation was later brought under control, allowing the public viewing to continue in the evening.
The Kenyan government has declared Friday a public holiday, with citizens expected to gather at another stadium in Nairobi for a state funeral service. A second public viewing is scheduled for Saturday in Kisumu County, near Odinga’s ancestral home.
The late opposition leader will be laid to rest on Sunday in his hometown of Bondo, western Kenya, where a full state funeral will be held in his honour.
