Two killed in stampede at funeral of Kenyan former prime minister Raila Odinga
A stampede at a football stadium during the state funeral service for Kenya’s former prime minister Raila Odinga has killed two people and injured more than 100 others.
Kenyans turned out in large numbers to mourn Mr Odinga after the democratic reformer’s death on Wednesday at the age of 80, reflecting the influence the respected statesman had on political life in the east African country.
A stampede ensued at the stadium in the capital Nairobi as the public viewed his body after the service. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said two people died and 163 patients were treated at the scene, with 34 referred to hospital.
The Kenyan Red Cross said the chaos “left many in need of urgent care”. A source at the country’s main referral hospital said they had received dozens of patients.
Mr Odinga’s brother Oburu urged Kenyans on Friday night to be calm and mourn peacefully.
“Raila should not be teargassed in death. He has been teargassed enough when he was alive, please let us not cause a situation where he is teargassed again,” he said.
Thousands filled the stadium where Mr Odinga’s coffin was covered in the national flag for an Anglican Church service. They chanted and held up portraits of Mr Odinga, while some carried twigs, a symbol of peace and unity in Kenyan tradition.
There was heavy security at the stadium after three people died during Thursday’s public viewing as police tried to control a huge crowd at another stadium.
At least 10 people were injured at Thursday’s event after police fired live bullets and tear gas at a surging crowd trying to reach a pavilion where the coffin was placed.
Mr Odinga ran for Kenya’s presidency five times over three decades, and although he never became president, he is revered for a life of activism that helped steer Kenya towards becoming a vibrant multi-party democracy.
His body lay in state in parliament on Friday morning ahead of the funeral, an honour only reserved for the president and former presidents.
President William Ruto said Mr Odinga deserved the honour for having been a legislator for 15 years, adding that he played “a pivotal role in shaping some of the most consequential laws in our republic’s history”.
Mr Ruto campaigned for Mr Odinga in 2007 — a disputed election that was marred by violence. The two men were rivals in subsequent elections, including the most recent one in 2022.
The two leaders signed an agreement this year after months of anti-government protests, and the pact saw opposition party members appointed to cabinet positions.
On Friday Mr Ruto led mourners in singing Mr Odinga’s favourite song, Harry Belafonte’s Jamaica Farewell, and said the former PM helped him steady the nation earlier in the year.
“Whenever the nation needed him to rise above (the) self, he always did so unreservedly,” he said.
David Kodia, the Anglican bishop who led the service, urged the leaders present to be “selfless” like Mr Odinga and to shun corruption. Mr Odinga was a practising member of the church.
Also among the mourners were Mr Odinga’s wife Ida, daughters Winnie and Rosemary, and son Raila Odinga Jr.
Mrs Odinga urged Kenyans to mourn peacefully and said her husband hated dishonesty and greed.
Winnie led the mourners to chanting in the local Luo language. She said her father died “strong, with dignity and pride” after he pushed his morning walk from his usual two to five rounds around the hospital where he was being treated.
His son, donning his father’s beaded hat and a fly whisk, said he would take care of the family as the sole surviving son.
Kenyans will on Saturday have one more opportunity to view Mr Odinga’s body in the western city of Kisumu, near his rural home in Bondo where he will be buried on Sunday.
His family said he had requested to be buried quickly, ideally within 72 hours, which is unusual for popular leaders in this east African country.
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