Kenyan police fire tear gas as mourners surge at Odinga viewing

Thursday 16th October 2025

by inAfrika Newsroom

Kenyan police fired tear gas and warning shots on Thursday to disperse thousands of mourners who surged toward the body of opposition leader Raila Odinga at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, officials and witnesses said.

The confrontation broke out shortly after a military plane carrying Odinga’s remains landed from India. Crowds that had gathered since dawn broke through security cordons, prompting police to respond with tear gas and aerial warning fire, according to the Interior Ministry.

Airport operations were briefly suspended for nearly two hours as security units cleared the area. Officials confirmed several arrests but denied reports of live ammunition use. Local broadcasters showed ambulances ferrying the injured to nearby clinics.

Odinga, 80, died in India earlier this week following a prolonged illness. The long-time opposition leader had served as prime minister from 2008 to 2013 and remained one of Kenya’s most influential political figures. His body is expected to lie in state in Nairobi before burial next week in Siaya County.

Police said the crowd overwhelmed initial security arrangements, forcing riot units to intervene. “We were trying to control a dangerous crush,” a senior officer said. “The priority was to prevent loss of life.”

Opposition officials accused the government of heavy-handedness and urged calm among supporters. President William Ruto’s office issued condolences and directed state security to “facilitate dignified national mourning.”

The incident underscores Kenya’s charged political atmosphere as Odinga’s supporters grapple with the loss of a leader who shaped national politics for decades.