Mourners killed by Kenya police at ex-PM's national farewell not part of violence, BBC finds

A BBC Africa Eye investigation has concluded that three individuals killed by Kenyan police during a national farewell for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga were not involved in a preceding confrontation that had triggered the gunfire. At the event held in Nairobi's Kasarani Stadium on October 16, 2025, mourners attempted to breach the VIP section through force, leading to the fatal shootings.

Forensic analysis suggests an elite police unit tasked with protecting the president may have fired the fatal shots. Kenya's longest-serving opposition leader and former Prime Minister passed away the day prior while undergoing medical treatment in India. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is currently investigating the incident, but no one has been held accountable.

The Interior Minister attributed the police's actions to immense pressure and claimed they had not deliberately targeted anyone, stating it was a split-second decision by individual officers. Yvonne Akinyi, whose husband was among those killed, expressed her grief, emphasizing that law enforcement officers who should protect citizens instead resulted in the loss of her husband and two children, leaving them as young widows and orphans in the country.

Odinga's death at the age of 80 sparked widespread mourning across Kenya, with thousands gathering at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as his body was repatriated. The coffin had originally been intended to lie in state at parliament, but the large crowds and security concerns led to a last-minute decision to hold the event at Kasarani Stadium.

Despite the short time available to secure the massive venue, thousands of people spilled onto the pitch and into the stands without proper supervision. Following a few hours of waiting in high temperatures with no public address system for updates, a section of the crowd began throwing objects, including plastic chairs, at officers guarding the VIP area.

Police responded by firing live rounds. Analysis of footage and photographs indicates that at least eight police officers, dressed in tactical attire and with military camouflage, were present, armed with assault rifles and without visible insignia. Three of these officers were identified as part of an elite unit responsible for presidential protection.

The exact shots that killed each victim could not be definitively determined, but it is clear that at least three officers participated in the fatal gunplay.