There was mild chaos at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on the morning of Thursday, October 16, 2025, as thousands of mourners overwhelmed security personnel while trying to gain access to the airport to receive the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Eyewitnesses and footage shared online show the massive crowd breaching the VIP gates shortly after the plane carrying Odinga’s body landed, prompting a swift response from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Youth Service (NYS), and police officers who formed a tight security cordon around the aircraft.
The late ODM leader’s body arrived at approximately 9:30 a.m., as scheduled, aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Mumbai, India.
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Among those present to receive the body were President William Ruto, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, alongside several Cabinet Secretaries and family members.
Outside the airport, an enormous crowd had gathered as early as 6 a.m., waving flags and chanting liberation songs in honour of the veteran opposition figure. According to videos obtained by FMFIX HUB, hundreds of mourners surged past the initial security barriers, overwhelming officers manning the main entrance.
Security officials attempted to calm the situation by addressing the crowd and urging them to maintain order, but their appeals were largely ignored.
Many mourners insisted they only wanted to witness the arrival of Odinga’s remains, a moment they described as “historic” and “deeply emotional.”
The commotion briefly disrupted airport operations, forcing additional security reinforcements to be deployed to restore order.
Despite the chaos, the late Raila Odinga’s body was safely transferred to a waiting motorcade and taken to Lee Funeral Home under heavy security escort.
Odinga, who passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in Kochi, India, after suffering a cardiac arrest, is set to be honoured with a state funeral.
His body will lie in state at Parliament Buildings later today for public viewing, followed by a national memorial service at Nyayo Stadium on Friday, and burial at his Kango Ka Jaramogi home in Bondo on Sunday.