Chaos in Kenya: the crowd gathered at the vigil of former Prime Minister Odinga, dispersed with bullets and tear gas. “Can we know he's in the coffin?”
Disturbing scenes in Kenya: A huge crowd of mourners ran screaming after police fired shots and fired tear gas into a stadium where they had gathered to view the body of former prime minister Raila Odinga, according to the BBC.
Several people inside the arena in the capital Nairobi were injured in the chaos that ensued when security guards tried to disperse the crowd.
It is unclear whether law enforcement officers used live ammunition or rubber bullets.
The body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been repatriated from India, where he died on Wednesday morning. Thousands of supporters had earlier traveled to the country's main airport to welcome the coffin, prompting a brief disruption of flights.
According to the authorities, the people who came to pay their respects had access to restricted areas, which led to a “preventive closure” which lasted about two hours.
From the airport, thousands of people moved in a procession to accompany the hearse to the stadium, located about 10 km from the city center.
Due to the higher than expected turnout, the public vigil ceremony for Odinga's body was moved to Nairobi's Moi International Sports Center in Kasarani district, although it was scheduled to take place at the parliament building.
The procession arrived at a crowded stadium, with even more people waiting outside.
Here, a large crowd broke down an arena gate, prompting police to fire tear gas. Following the incident, the crowd of mourners ran towards the exits.
A BBC reporter at the scene reported how men in civilian clothes hit the protesters with batons.
According to AFP, at least three people were visibly injured, and one of them had a serious head wound.
A wave of supporters had earlier gathered at Lee Funeral Home, where the body was originally expected to be laid to rest, and around parliament.
People ran for the exits. New York Post capture
“We are sad, we are left orphans. He is our father,” one person stated.
“We want to see Baba, how can we know that he is in the coffin? Let him show us and we will be satisfied”he told the BBC.
State funerals will be held at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Friday and his body will be flown to Kisumu, a western Kenyan city on the shores of Lake Victoria, his political stronghold, on Saturday.
The public will have an opportunity to view the body before it is buried on Sunday at his farm in Bondo, about 60km west of Kisumu.
Odinga's wish was to be buried as soon as possible, ideally within 72 hours, according to the family.
The 80-year-old former prime minister of Kenya collapsed on Wednesday morning during a morning walk in India and was taken to Devamatha Hospital.
A seven-day mourning period was declared in the country. Odinga will also be given a state funeral with full military honors, Kenyan President William Ruto said.
Odinga has been a prominent figure in Kenyan politics and for many years was the main opposition leader in the country, losing five presidential campaigns, the most recent being three years ago.
