A sombre mood engulfed Nyayo Stadium on Friday, October 17, after a stampede claimed two lives during the public viewing of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s body.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), one of the emergency response teams deployed at the venue, more than 160 people were treated for injuries ranging from minor bruises to serious fractures.
The tragedy came barely a day after similar chaotic scenes were witnessed during the public viewing at Parliament Buildings and Kasarani Stadium, where at least 40 people were injured as crowds struggled to catch a glimpse of the late opposition leader’s body.
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“MSF Emergency Response Update: On October 16, during the public viewing of the body of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Nairobi, MSF teams working alongside other responders provided emergency medical care at Parliament Buildings and Kasarani Sports Centre. A total of 40 patients were treated via ambulance services,” the organisation said in a statement.
The humanitarian group added that the situation worsened on Friday as massive crowds surged toward the stadium gates, overwhelming both security officers and medical teams.
“On October 17, at the Nyayo Stadium field hospital, the multi-agency teams attended to 163 patients and referred 34 others for further care. Most injuries involved blunt trauma and fractures. Tragically, two lives were lost in the stampede that occurred today,” MSF added.
The public viewing exercise began on Thursday amid scenes of chaos at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where mourners broke through security barriers to join dignitaries receiving Raila’s remains. The crowd later followed the convoy to Kasarani Stadium, where police fired teargas and live bullets, reportedly killing at least three people before the exercise could begin.
On Friday, calm briefly returned as thousands of Kenyans filled Nyayo Stadium for the state funeral, which began with a requiem mass attended by local and international dignitaries, including President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
President Ruto paid glowing tribute to Raila, describing him as a leader who “walked among us as a man but also charged among us as a movement for change, a movement for justice, and for a better and greater Kenya.”
However, moments later, the peaceful ceremony turned chaotic when a surge of mourners attempted to reach the coffin on the field, leading to a deadly stampede. AFP journalists on the ground reported that several people were trampled, leaving some with broken limbs and others gasping for air.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who co-chairs the National Funeral Committee, condemned the tragic events and urged mourners to maintain peace and respect during the remaining ceremonies.
“We will mourn in dignity. It is a heavy moment, but we must do everything possible to protect the image of our fallen leader,” Kindiki said during a late-night address from Karen.
Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga, Raila’s elder brother, echoed similar sentiments, urging mourners to uphold calm and honour his brother’s memory with dignity.
“I want to express my disappointment because yesterday there was some teargas thrown around. Raila should not be teargassed in death — he was teargassed enough when he was alive. Please, let us not cause a situation where he is teargassed again when we are escorting him,” Oburu appealed.
On Saturday morning, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is expected to airlift Raila’s body to Mamboleo Grounds in Kisumu for a final public viewing before it proceeds to Bondo for an overnight vigil ahead of a private burial on Sunday.
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