NAIROBI, Kenya — The state funeral for Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, held at a packed soccer stadium in Nairobi on Friday, was meant to be a solemn farewell to one of the country’s most influential political figures. Instead, it turned tragic, as a stampede erupted among the throngs of mourners, leaving at least two people dead and dozens more injured, according to multiple sources including the Associated Press, the Kenya Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders.
Odinga, who died on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the age of 80 in Kerala, India, was a towering figure in Kenyan political life. His passing triggered an outpouring of grief, with thousands streaming into Nairobi’s stadium to pay their last respects. The crowd’s size and fervor reflected Odinga’s outsized influence and the deep affection many Kenyans held for him—a man known affectionately as “Baba,” or father, by his supporters.
According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the chaos at the stadium on Friday resulted in 163 people being treated at the scene, with 34 referred to hospitals for further care. The Kenya Red Cross reported that many required urgent medical attention. Hospital sources confirmed to NTV and other outlets that at least 17 people were hospitalized due to injuries from the crush. The Associated Press put the death toll at two, while the Kenya Red Cross confirmed at least 18 people were treated at the main referral hospital. These discrepancies in numbers are not uncommon in the immediate aftermath of such chaotic events, but all sources agree the tragedy underscored the scale of the crowd and the risks involved.
The stampede broke out as mourners surged forward to view Odinga’s flag-draped casket after the Anglican Church service. Witnesses described a sea of people waving twigs—symbols of peace in Kenyan tradition—and hoisting portraits of the late leader. The stadium, already filled to capacity, became a scene of panic as the crowd pressed forward, overwhelming security and medical personnel.
This was not the first time tragedy struck during the mourning period for Odinga. Just a day earlier, on Thursday, October 16, 2025, three people died and at least ten others were injured during another public viewing at a different stadium in Nairobi. According to the Associated Press and local reports, police fired live rounds and tear gas in an attempt to control the surging crowds desperate to reach the pavilion where Odinga’s casket was displayed. The violence and chaos left many in need of urgent care, and at least ten were hospitalized.
President William Ruto, who led the nation in mourning, had anticipated the massive turnout and heightened security at Friday’s event. Ruto, who once campaigned alongside Odinga in the disputed 2007 election before becoming his political rival, called for calm and unity. Leading the mourners in singing Odinga’s favorite song, Harry Belafonte’s “Jamaica Farewell,” Ruto praised Odinga’s lifelong commitment to democracy and legislative reform. “Whenever the nation needed him to rise above self, he always did so unreservedly,” Ruto said, echoing sentiments shared by many in Kenya’s political class.
Odinga’s body had lain in state in Parliament earlier that day—an honor typically reserved for presidents and former presidents. President Ruto declared a seven-day national mourning period, with Kenyan flags to be flown at half-mast. “Raila deserved the honor for having been a legislator for 15 years,” Ruto said, adding that Odinga played “a pivotal role in shaping some of the most consequential laws in our Republic’s history.”
The Anglican bishop who presided over the funeral, David Kodia, urged Kenya’s leaders to emulate Odinga’s selflessness and to shun corruption. “Let us be selfless like Odinga,” he told the assembled dignitaries and mourners. Political analyst Herman Manyora, speaking to the Associated Press, noted, “You can’t point at a man more willing to sacrifice everything just for the sake of his people.”
Odinga’s family was at the heart of the emotional tributes. His wife, Ida Odinga, called for peaceful mourning and reminded Kenyans of her husband’s intolerance for dishonesty and greed. Their daughter Winnie, who had accompanied Odinga during his final days in India, led mourners in chanting in the Luo language and shared that her father died “strong, with dignity and pride,” after extending his customary morning walk from two to five laps around the hospital in Kerala. Son Raila Odinga Jr., donning his father’s signature beaded hat and carrying a fly whisk, declared he would take care of the family as the sole surviving son, vowing to carry forward his father’s legacy.
The scale of public grief was evident not only in Nairobi but across the country. Supporters spoke of Odinga’s role in championing multi-party democracy, his leadership as prime minister from 2008 to 2013, and his relentless—if ultimately unsuccessful—five bids for the presidency. “I have freedom of speech because of Raila... I’m here because he is the father,” one mourner, Paul Oloo, told AFP. The 2010 constitution and the transition to a vibrant democracy are seen as part of his enduring legacy.
In a rare show of unity, leaders from across Kenya’s political spectrum attended the funeral, setting aside past rivalries to honor Odinga’s contributions. The mood, however, was tinged with frustration and sorrow over the tragic events that marred the ceremonies. Odinga’s brother, Oburu, pleaded for calm: “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.”
Kenyans will have one final opportunity to view Odinga’s body on Saturday, October 18, 2025, in Kisumu, before he is buried on Sunday in his hometown of Bondo. The family has requested that he be buried within 72 hours of his death—a departure from the norm for a leader of such stature, but in keeping with his wishes for a swift and simple farewell.
As the nation prepares to lay Raila Odinga to rest, the overwhelming turnout and the tragic incidents serve as a testament to his profound impact on Kenyan society. The sorrow, unity, and calls for peace echo the values he championed throughout his long career—a reminder that even in mourning, Kenya’s democratic journey continues.