Raila Odinga Farewell: 2 Killed In Stampede At Nyayo Stadium
More than 160 people were treated for injuries ranging from minor bruises to serious fractures.
Marvin Chege 
A sombre mood gripped 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 chaotic events began on Thursday, October 16 during the public viewing at Kasarani Stadium and Parliament Buildings, where the viewing was shifted from, where 40 people were treated for injuries
“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.
Coffin with the body of Raila Odinga on display at Nyayo Stadium on October 17, 2025. /PCS
The medical charity added that the situation worsened on Friday as massive crowds surged toward the stadium gates, overwhelming security and medics on the ground.
“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, 2 lives were lost in the stampede that occurred today,” the statement added.
The public viewing of Raila Odinga’s body began on Thursday amid scenes of chaos after mourners broke through security barriers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to join dignitaries receiving the late leader’s remains.
The crowd later followed the convoy to Kasarani Stadium, where police opened fire, reportedly killing at least three people before the viewing could commence.
The exercise resumed on Friday afternoon after a requiem mass attended by heads of state, dignitaries, politicians, and Kenyans from all walks of life.
The state funeral had began peacefully, with President William Ruto describing Raila Odinga as someone who “walked among us as a man but also charged among us as a movement for change, a movement for justice... for a better and greater Kenya.” However, the calm was short-lived — moments later, a rush of mourners attempting to reach the coffin on the field turned tragic.
AFP journalists at the scene reported that several people were trampled, leaving some with broken bones and others struggling to breathe.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who co-chairs the National Funeral Committee, called for restraint as the mourning period entered its third day on Saturday, with focus shifting to Kisumu for the final farewell before Sunday’s burial.
“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 in an update from Karen on Friday night.
Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, on his part, urged mourners to remain calm and uphold his brother’s legacy with dignity, stressing the need to respect the solemn nature of the event and avoid actions that could trigger clashes with security personnel.
He voiced disappointment over the use of teargas during Thursday’s events at Kasarani Stadium, saying it was unjust for Odinga to face such chaos even in death, noting that he had already endured countless teargas encounters throughout his years leading the opposition and fighting for democracy.
“I want to express my disappointment because yesterday there was some teargas which was thrown around. I really don’t like teargas; 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 when we are escorting him,” Oburu appealed.
On Saturday morning, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is set to airlift Raila’s body to Mamboleo Grounds in Kisumu, where it will lie in state for public viewing throughout the day before being taken to Bondo for an overnight vigil ahead of a private burial on Sunday.
