Tears turned to bloodshed as Kenya's western city of Kisumu witnessed chaos during Raila Odinga's memorial service, with dozens injured in the process. The former Prime Minister's body was on display at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, where security forces were deployed to prevent a repeat of deadly incidents that marred earlier events.
The scene turned violent on Thursday when security forces fired tear gas and weapons into crowds rushing towards Odinga's coffin, claiming three lives at a Nairobi stadium. Just 24 hours later, panic erupted among mourners exiting the state funeral service in the capital, resulting in two more fatalities and sending 163 to medical care.
The crowd's fury was palpable as thousands of supporters thronged the city to pay their respects to Odinga, who was being transported from India to his ancestral home in Bondo for burial. The sheer scale of the outpouring drew tens of thousands throughout the region.
Odinga, an 80-year-old opposition leader and statesman, never became president despite five attempts spanning three decades. However, he played a pivotal role in shaping Kenya's democratic evolution more profoundly than many who held that office.
In the midst of this grief, dignitaries like Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former United States President Barack Obama honored Odinga as "a true champion of democracy" who endured decades of struggle for freedom and self-governance in Kenya. His brother Oburu's poignant appeal echoed across the nation: "Raila should not be teargassed in death. He has been teargassed enough when he was alive."
With thousands converging on the stadium, the Kenyan Red Cross teams treated those who fainted from fatigue and distress. The city remained under a heavy security blanket as the country mourned its beloved leader.
The event that followed Odinga's burial in Bondo was marked by scenes of joy and celebration, with supporters waving handkerchiefs and singing as they paid their respects to the late statesman. As Kenyans bid farewell to their "Baba" – Swahili for father – the nation seemed united in its grief.
However, in light of Odinga's tumultuous past, questions lingered over how the country could prevent such incidents in the future. The legacy of Kenya's complex history will continue to be felt as the nation navigates its transition from a multiparty democracy to one led by President William Ruto.
The scene turned violent on Thursday when security forces fired tear gas and weapons into crowds rushing towards Odinga's coffin, claiming three lives at a Nairobi stadium. Just 24 hours later, panic erupted among mourners exiting the state funeral service in the capital, resulting in two more fatalities and sending 163 to medical care.
The crowd's fury was palpable as thousands of supporters thronged the city to pay their respects to Odinga, who was being transported from India to his ancestral home in Bondo for burial. The sheer scale of the outpouring drew tens of thousands throughout the region.
Odinga, an 80-year-old opposition leader and statesman, never became president despite five attempts spanning three decades. However, he played a pivotal role in shaping Kenya's democratic evolution more profoundly than many who held that office.
In the midst of this grief, dignitaries like Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former United States President Barack Obama honored Odinga as "a true champion of democracy" who endured decades of struggle for freedom and self-governance in Kenya. His brother Oburu's poignant appeal echoed across the nation: "Raila should not be teargassed in death. He has been teargassed enough when he was alive."
With thousands converging on the stadium, the Kenyan Red Cross teams treated those who fainted from fatigue and distress. The city remained under a heavy security blanket as the country mourned its beloved leader.
The event that followed Odinga's burial in Bondo was marked by scenes of joy and celebration, with supporters waving handkerchiefs and singing as they paid their respects to the late statesman. As Kenyans bid farewell to their "Baba" – Swahili for father – the nation seemed united in its grief.
However, in light of Odinga's tumultuous past, questions lingered over how the country could prevent such incidents in the future. The legacy of Kenya's complex history will continue to be felt as the nation navigates its transition from a multiparty democracy to one led by President William Ruto.
this is so sad what happened in Kisumu 
, I mean we knew Raila wasn't going to become president after 5 attempts lol, but still, it's not right that people were injured 
, he was definitely a champion of democracy 
. But yeah, the Kenyan Red Cross teams are doing their best to treat everyone who fainted or got hurt 
. I hope the nation can move forward from this 
, it's clear that Odinga is still beloved by many 
. The security forces really needed to step in and manage the crowds better 
. It's like they knew it was gonna be a tough day but still didn't prepare for everything that happened 
. The tear gas and rubber bullets were super scary to see 
. His brother is still going on about the teargas in life, I don't think he'll ever forgive them for this 
. But at the same time, I get why they had to take those precautions - you can't just let thousands of people swarm a funeral procession 
.
.
. I mean, I get that people are passionate about him and all, but that doesn't excuse for security forces to just let loose like that.
. I'm not trying to be negative or anything, but it's like... how do you ensure that the same issues don't happen again? It's a tough one to answer.
. Even in the midst of all this chaos, you can still feel the nation's spirit 
. So, let's hope that we can learn from these incidents and move forward as one 
.
meanwhile, the crowd was literally mourning his death but security forces still needed to 'maintain order' lol. i feel for oburu & family, they deserve so much better than this.
meanwhile, it's great that so many dignitaries are honoring Odinga's legacy as a champion of democracy 
... You'd think some kind of planning or communication would have gone into preventing the chaos 
.