Kenya has been gripped by a wave of mourning and chaos following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, one of the country’s most influential political figures. Odinga, who passed away on October 15, 2025, in Kerala, India, at the age of 80, was a towering figure in Kenyan politics, renowned for his relentless fight for democracy and social justice. His passing has triggered an outpouring of grief and a series of tumultuous public events that have both celebrated his legacy and exposed the deep passions he inspired among Kenyans.
On Saturday, October 18, tens of thousands of mourners converged on Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Kisumu, Odinga’s political heartland in western Kenya, for a final public viewing of his body. According to BBC, crowds began arriving before dawn, many dressed in orange—the color of Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement—and waving branches, a traditional mourning symbol among the Luo people, Odinga’s ethnic group. The atmosphere was charged with emotion, with some mourners crying out, “we are orphans,” and others fainting from the heat, exhaustion, and grief. Dixon Ochieng, one of those in attendance, told BBC, “I have come here to mourn an icon of Africa.”
Despite the heavy deployment of military units, police, and aerial surveillance to maintain order, the event was marred by injuries. Local media and the Kenya Red Cross reported that dozens of people fainted or were injured as the crowds surged forward to view Odinga’s coffin. First aid teams treated those who collapsed from fatigue and distress, and some had to be evacuated from the venue. The heightened security presence came after a series of tragic incidents earlier in the week.
The mourning period for Odinga has been punctuated by deadly chaos. On Thursday, October 16, at a Nairobi stadium, security forces fired live bullets and tear gas into crowds surging toward the pavilion where Odinga’s coffin was placed, resulting in the deaths of at least three people and injuries to at least ten more, according to Associated Press and local sources. The following day, Friday, October 17, a stampede erupted at a separate venue in Nairobi, shortly after dignitaries—including President William Ruto and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud—had departed the state funeral service. Doctors Without Borders reported that two people died and 163 patients were treated at the scene, with 34 referred to hospitals. The Kenyan Red Cross described the chaos as leaving “many in need of urgent care.”
Odinga’s family and political allies repeatedly called for peace and restraint. His brother, Oburu Odinga, addressed mourners on multiple occasions, pleading, “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.” His widow, Ida Odinga, also appealed to Kenyans to mourn peacefully, urging them not to give the police any reason to use force. Siaya County Governor James Orengo echoed these sentiments, asking the public to “maintain the peace during this period.”
The scale of the public’s response to Odinga’s death has been extraordinary. Since his body was flown home on Thursday, supporters have walked nearly 30 kilometers from Nairobi’s airport to escort his remains, a testament to the devotion he commanded. Every stage of the mourning period has drawn massive crowds, with tens of thousands participating in processions, vigils, and ceremonies. At the state funeral on Friday, mourners sang, danced, and waved handkerchiefs in celebration of the man many affectionately called “Baba”—the Swahili word for father.
Odinga’s political journey was marked by resilience and sacrifice. He ran for Kenya’s presidency five times over three decades, each time falling short—often amid allegations of electoral manipulation. After the violent and disputed 2007 election, Odinga became prime minister in a unity government, a role that cemented his reputation as a statesman willing to put country before self. As Jacob Omondi told BBC, “I remember him for giving us democracy, for giving me our freedom—and now we can talk and we can say anything that we see is bad for us.” David Ouma, another mourner, reflected, “I learned from Raila is to be resilient, because Raila was always a very resilient leader through every election… he still rose to try again to try again.”
Odinga’s legacy extends beyond his electoral contests. He was a driving force behind Kenya’s return to multiparty politics in the 1990s and played a pivotal role in the passage of the landmark 2010 constitution, which decentralized executive power. President William Ruto, who both campaigned for and later ran against Odinga, eulogized him as “a patriot and selfless statesman who helped to steady Kenya.” At the funeral, Ruto led mourners in singing Odinga’s favorite song, Harry Belafonte’s “Jamaica Farewell,” and praised him for always rising above personal ambition when the nation needed him most. “Whenever the nation needed him to rise above (the) self, he always did so unreservedly,” Ruto said, as reported by Associated Press.
The state funeral was attended by dignitaries from across Africa, as well as Odinga’s family and political allies. Anglican Bishop David Kodia, who led the service, urged leaders to emulate Odinga’s selflessness and shun corruption, noting his active membership in the church. Political analyst Herman Manyora told Associated Press, “You can’t point at a man more willing to sacrifice everything just for the sake of his people.”
International tributes poured in as well. Former US President Barack Obama, whose father was Kenyan, honored Odinga as “a true champion of democracy” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Obama wrote, “A child of independence, he endured decades of struggle and sacrifice for the broader cause of freedom and self-governance in Kenya. Time and again, I personally saw him put the interests of his country ahead of his own ambitions. Like few other leaders anywhere, he was willing to choose the path of peaceful reconciliation without compromising his core values.”
Odinga’s body was transported from Kisumu to his ancestral home in Bondo, about 60 kilometers west, where he was expected to be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, in a private burial at his family farm. According to his family, Odinga wished to be buried within 72 hours of his death—a final request that underscored his humility and connection to his roots.
The tumultuous farewell for Raila Odinga has revealed both the depth of his impact on Kenya and the challenges of managing public grief on such a massive scale. Through tragedy and tribute, Kenyans have honored a leader whose life was defined by the pursuit of justice and the dream of a more democratic nation.