In brief
At the national farewell for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Kenyan police opened fire on three mourners who were trying to reach the VIP section. BBC Africa Eye analysis shows the victims were 60–160 metres from the confrontation. The shooting occurred while the crowd was calm and the police were responding to an attempt to force entrance. No evidence of stone‑throwing was found, and an elite VIP‑protection unit may have fired the fatal shots. The incident remains under investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
In a tragic turn of events at Kenya’s Kasarani Stadium, police fired live rounds at three mourners who were not part of the larger crowd clash, killed by an elite security unit, BBC Africa Eye has confirmed.
The national farewell for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was set to honour the 80‑year‑old after his death in India on 15 October. Thousands gathered at the 48,000‑seat stadium, and as the day wore on, the situation escalated when a small group of mourners attempted to force entry to the VIP pavilion.
BBC footage and a forensic review of over 1,500 images place the victims at distances ranging from 60 to 160 metres from the confrontation zone. While the surrounding crowds were largely peaceful, police fired at the group that was moving toward the pavilion. The victims—Evans Kiche, Vincent Ogutu, and Jidah Burka—suffered head or chest injuries and died at the scene.
"The people who we look at to protect us, these are the people that cause us this pain," Yvonne Akinyi, a widow of one of the killed mourners, told the BBC. The statement echoes the grief of thousands who streamed to Kasarani on a day that turned into a nightmare for some families.
Police claims that a single stone was thrown; however, the BBC analysis found only plastic chairs and other objects in motion, with no stones captured on camera. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen described the use of “restrained” force, citing “pressure” from an overnight shift and last‑minute venue changes.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) continues to investigate, but so far no officer has been held publicly accountable. The incident underscores the need for tighter crowd management protocols at national events.
For the record, autopsy reports confirm that Ogutu died from a gunshot to the chest and Burka was shot in the head. The exact trajectory and shooters remain unclear, though the presence of an elite presidential protection unit was noted in the investigation.
Additional footage released by the BBC shows the panic among the thousands inside the stadium, with supporters and mourners alike racing to safety as the gunfire erupted. The public outcry has intensified, calling for transparent accountability from the Kenyan police force.
For more in‑depth coverage, follow our real‑time updates and map of the farewell event on PulseWire’s live feed.
