Kenya was plunged into mourning and turmoil this week after the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a towering figure in the nation’s political life for decades. Odinga, affectionately known as “Baba” to his legions of supporters, died at the age of 80 on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in India. According to hospital officials in Kerala state, Odinga collapsed during a morning walk and could not be resuscitated, as reported by AP and Reuters.
The news of Odinga’s passing reverberated across Kenya and the African continent, triggering an outpouring of grief and a series of dramatic events that underscored both his influence and the nation’s deep political passions. On Thursday, October 16, thousands of mourners gathered in Nairobi, determined to pay their respects as Odinga’s body returned home. The arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was marked by a somber military ceremony, with a water cannon salute arching over the chartered plane that carried the late leader’s remains, according to Newsday.
But the day’s events soon spiraled into chaos. As President William Ruto, Odinga’s family, and top officials prepared to receive the body with military honors, crowds of mourners—many of whom had walked nearly 29 kilometers (18 miles) from the city’s neighborhoods—stormed the airport, demanding to view the casket. The surge briefly interrupted the official ceremony and forced a two-hour suspension of airport operations, as reported by Reuters and Al Jazeera.
After the airport commotion, the procession carrying Odinga’s body made its way through Nairobi’s streets, trailed by thousands of supporters waving twigs and singing in tribute. Their destination was the city’s Moi International Sports Centre, a 60,000-seat stadium set to host a public viewing of the late leader’s coffin. The atmosphere was charged with emotion and anticipation, but also with tension—a tension that would soon erupt with tragic consequences.
Inside the stadium, as crowds pressed forward to catch a glimpse of Odinga’s casket, some mourners breached a gate and surged toward the pavilion where the body lay in state. Security forces responded by firing live bullets and lobbing tear gas into the crowd, according to AP, Reuters, and The New York Times. Panic swept through the stadium as people scrambled for safety, and a stampede broke out near the gates. Adamson Bungei, Kenya’s head of police operations, confirmed to The Associated Press that at least two people had died in the confrontation. However, local media outlets KTN News and Citizen TV later reported the death toll had risen to four, with dozens more injured.
Footage from the scene showed people running from clouds of tear gas, their cries echoing around the now-deserted stadium. The violence was the latest in a string of clashes between Kenyan security forces and civilians—just months earlier, protests against President Ruto’s government had left at least 16 dead, as noted by The New York Times.
As chaos unfolded, President Ruto and members of Odinga’s family were whisked into a side room for safety, where they paid their respects in private. Hours later, after calm was restored, the public viewing resumed outside the stadium gates, allowing mourners to file past the coffin and say their last goodbyes.
Odinga’s death and the events that followed have brought Kenya’s political divisions and history of tumult into sharp relief. For decades, Odinga was both a symbol of hope and a lightning rod for controversy. He ran for president five times between 1997 and 2022, coming closest in 2007 when a disputed result sparked deadly ethnic violence. Despite never attaining the presidency, he was widely credited with helping to usher in multiparty democracy and was revered for his activism and willingness to challenge entrenched power.
“He fought tirelessly for multi-party democracy, and we are enjoying those freedoms today because of his struggle,” university student Felix Ambani Uneck told Reuters at the stadium. Another mourner, Beatrice Adala, summed up the nation’s sentiment: “We are in mourning as a country. We loved Baba so much, he was the defender of the people.”
Odinga’s influence extended beyond politics. He was a unifying figure for many in his Luo community and a respected elder statesman across Kenya. President Ruto, who defeated Odinga in the 2022 election but later formed a political alliance with him, described him as “a patriot of uncommon courage, a pan-Africanist, a unifier who sought peace and unity above power and self-gain.” In recognition of his legacy, President Ruto declared seven days of national mourning, and Friday, October 17, was designated a public holiday for a state funeral service at a different Nairobi stadium.
Odinga’s family revealed that he had requested a swift burial—ideally within 72 hours—a rare wish for a figure of his stature in Kenya, where elaborate funeral rites are the norm. The state funeral was scheduled for Sunday, October 19, at his rural home in Bondo, western Kenya, with another public viewing planned for Saturday in Kisumu, the heart of his political base.
The scenes of devotion and heartbreak were not limited to Nairobi. In Kisumu and in Bondo, crowds gathered to mourn, waving flags and singing in memory of a man many considered the “father of modern Kenya.” The grief was palpable, but so too was the sense of unfinished business—a reminder of the deep divisions and unresolved questions that have long shaped Kenyan politics.
Odinga’s passing leaves a void that will not be easily filled. As The New York Times observed, he was the principal challenger to successive governments, a “colossus of Kenya’s modern politics.” His activism, resilience, and willingness to endure personal sacrifice for the cause of democracy earned him both admiration and enmity. Yet, even in death, Odinga’s legacy continues to inspire new generations of Kenyans—many of whom were not yet born when he first took up the fight for multiparty rule in 1991.
As Kenya prepares to lay Raila Odinga to rest, the nation stands at a crossroads: mourning a beloved leader, grappling with fresh wounds, and reflecting on the freedoms he helped secure. The days ahead will be filled with ceremony and remembrance, but also with questions about the country’s future and the enduring power of Odinga’s vision.