The crowd waves as the military vehicle carrying the body of the late former PM Raila Odinga heads for the state funeral mass at Nyayo Stadium on October 17, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDY
There was tragedy where at least two people were killed Friday in a stampede as mourners pushed to view the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi.
Officials said 163 others were injured in the incident. At least 34 of them were referred to hospital for further treatment.
Police said the stampede happened near Gate five, where a group of mourners had been told to queue to be able to view the body.
A crowd surged, causing a stampede that left 163 people injured. MSF East Africa said they and other service providers treated 163 patients at Nyayo Stadium and referred 34 .
"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," MSF said in a statement.
"On October 17, at the Nyayo Stadium field hospital, the multi-agency teams attended to 163 patients and referred 34 other for further care. Most injuries involved blunt trauma and fractures.
Tragically, 2 lives were lost in the stampede that occurred today."
Nairobi police boss George Seda said the victims were attended to by emergency service providers present.
“Two of the victims succumbed,” he said.
The incident happened after the official state funeral had taken place and most dignitaries had left the stadium. President William Ruto led government officials and other international leaders in the event.
They eulogised Odinga as a good statesman. The deaths increased to five, the number of those killed in the funeral event of Odinga since Thursday, when the body arrived from India, where he died.
On Thursday, October 16, three people were shot and killed at the Moi International Kasarani Stadium in a confrontation between police and mourners. Medical officials said they attended to at least 100 people who were injured in the chaos.
Medical services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga said some of the injured were treated and discharged. Chaos broke out after a crowd ran impatiently and tried to breach a VIP place where the body was being prepared for viewing.
The crowd threw seats and sticks at the security personnel manning the area, forcing the officers to open fire.
Odinga, a giant figure on Kenya's political scene, died in India on Wednesday. His body arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday morning, where the authorities were forced to briefly suspend flights because of the huge crowds gathered there.
Mourners had gained access to restricted areas, prompting a "precautionary closure" that lasted about two hours.
