Fears of Unrest as Odinga’s Body Heads Home

Large crowds assembled in western Kenya on Saturday to pay their respects to a cherished politician, Raila Odinga, on the biggest day of the mourning ceremonies that have already resulted in at least five fatalities this week. 

There were shouts of “Baba” (father) and “We are orphans” among the tens of thousands who filled the streets in Kisumu, Odinga’s stronghold, as his coffin arrived by helicopter. 

Odinga, 80, passed away from a suspected heart attack in India on Wednesday, sparking a profound wave of sorrow throughout the nation, particularly in western Kenya, where his Luo community predominates. 

As his coffin neared the stadium in Kisumu, early signs of disorder emerged, with a large group of mourners breaking through a security gate and climbing over walls, as observed by AFP journalists. 

Many worried that Saturday’s ceremonies could become deadly, especially given the chaos at memorial events in Nairobi earlier this week. 

On Thursday, security personnel fired on a crowd in a Nairobi stadium where Odinga lay in state, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals. Then on Friday, during the state funeral in another stadium led by President William Ruto, a stampede occurred, leading to the deaths of at least two and injuring numerous others. 

Regarded as one of Kenya’s most significant political figures of his era, Odinga served as prime minister from 2008 to 2013 but never managed to win the presidency despite five attempts. 

He outlasted many of his competitors and is recognised as a key player in restoring multi-party democracy in Kenya during the 1990s and for overseeing the widely praised constitution of 2010. 

Odinga’s remains were returned from India on Thursday. After lying in state in Kisumu on Saturday, the body will proceed to Bondo in neighbouring Siaya county, the family’s ancestral home, for a private burial. 

The death of Odinga creates a leadership void in the opposition, with critics claiming he did not groom a successor. 

His agreements with rivals, including the current president Ruto, last year, eroded his support among younger voters, who have held mass demonstrations over the past two years due to poor governance and economic concerns. 

It remains uncertain whether Odinga’s movement and the alliance with Ruto will endure after his death, leaving Kenya on an unpredictable path as it approaches potentially tumultuous elections in 2027.