A tragic stampede at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi claimed the lives of four Kenyan citizens on Thursday as thousands gathered to pay their final respects to Raila Odinga, the revered opposition leader and former Prime Minister, whose body was lying in state following his death earlier this week.
According to eyewitness reports and local media outlets, chaos erupted when a massive crowd breached the stadium gates, prompting security forces to fire shots into the air and deploy tear gas in an attempt to control the surging crowd. The incident led to widespread panic, resulting in the fatal stampede and leaving scores of others injured.
Odinga, aged 80, passed away in India where he had been receiving medical treatment. His death has triggered an outpouring of grief across the nation, with President William Ruto declaring seven days of national mourning and announcing a state funeral to be held in Odinga’s home region.
The stampede occurred shortly after mourners stormed Nairobi’s international airport, briefly disrupting a military honors ceremony led by President Ruto to receive Odinga’s body. The airport incident prompted a temporary suspension of operations and heightened security measures across the capital.
Kenya’s police chief, Adamson Bungei, confirmed that two of the deceased were shot at the stadium, while local broadcasters KTN News and Citizen TV later reported the death toll had risen to four.
In response to the tragedy, human rights organizations and civil society groups have called for an independent investigation into the conduct of security forces and the crowd management protocols in place during national mourning events. The Kenya Red Cross has deployed emergency teams to assist the injured and provide psychological support to affected families.