Grief in the Air: Kenyan Police fire tear gas as crowds surge at Odinga memorial

Tension filled Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium on Thursday as thousands of mourners tried to view the body of the late former Prime Minister, Raila Amolo Odinga, leading to violent clashes with police.

The trouble started when huge crowds pushed through security barriers inside the 48,000-seater stadium. Police fired tear gas and shots into the air to control the crowd as chaos spread.

Live footage showed police struggling to contain the surging mourners. People were seen running in panic as clouds of tear gas filled the air.

Several individuals fainted or were injured, and medical teams from the Kenya Red Cross rushed to help.

Earlier in the day, thousands of people had gathered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to receive Odinga’s body, which arrived from India aboard a chartered Kenya Airways flight.

The crowd broke through airport security to see the casket, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend operations.

In a statement, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said it had to close the airspace briefly to restore order and protect passengers before resuming normal operations.

A long funeral procession later escorted Odinga’s body from the airport through central Nairobi to Kasarani. Many mourners followed on foot, waving Kenyan flags and portraits of the man they lovingly called “Baba.”

By the time the convoy reached Kasarani, the stadium was already full.

The National Funeral Committee had moved the public viewing from Parliament to the larger venue, but even it could not handle the massive turnout.

Tensions rose when people waiting outside demanded to enter the VIP section where Odinga’s body lay in state. Police refused, leading to a stampede and further clashes.

The Kenyan government has declared seven days of national mourning in Odinga’s honour. President William Ruto announced that Odinga will receive a state funeral with full military honours.

The official ceremony will take place on Friday at Nyayo National Stadium, after which the body will be taken to Kisumu on Saturday for public viewing. Burial is scheduled for Sunday at Odinga’s ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County, following his wish to be laid to rest within 72 hours of his death.

According to family sources, Odinga, aged 80, collapsed during a morning walk in India on Wednesday and was pronounced dead at Devamatha Hospital, near Kochi.

Raila Odinga’s death ends a major chapter in Kenyan politics. A five-time presidential candidate and long-time opposition leader, he spent more than forty years fighting for democracy, constitutional reform, and justice in Kenya.

To many, Odinga was a symbol of both resistance and unity  a man who faced imprisonment and exile yet continued to inspire hope for a better Kenya.

As mourners cried and chanted “Baba! Baba!” through the smoke of tear gas at Kasarani, it was clear that Kenya had lost not just a politician, but a deeply loved national figure.