A somber mood engulfed Kasarani Stadium on Thursday, October 16, as what was meant to be a peaceful farewell to Raila Odinga turned into chaos and grief.
Among the thousands who gathered to view the body of the late opposition leader was Vincent Otieno, a young man from Nairobi whose life was tragically cut short in the ensuing commotion.
Witnesses say the tragedy began when police fired teargas and live bullets to control the swelling crowd that had tried to move closer to the main dais, where dignitaries, including President William Ruto, Raila’s family, and other national leaders, were seated.
Panic erupted as mourners scrambled for safety, screams filling the air as the atmosphere of mourning turned into one of confusion and fear.
When the dust settled, three people were confirmed dead, among them Vincent Otieno. Videos shared widely online showed his father, Meshack Okode, wailing uncontrollably beside his son’s lifeless body.
The grieving man, visibly shattered, could be heard crying, “They killed my only son! My only child!” as police loaded Vincent’s body into a Land Cruiser bound for the City Mortuary.
The heartbreaking scene has since gone viral, drawing an outpouring of sympathy and outrage from Kenyans across social media platforms.
Many expressed their disbelief at how a solemn day of national mourning could end in such tragedy.
“Even in death, Kenyans are still being killed because of Baba,” one user commented, while another wrote, “This country breaks its own people again and again.”
According to witnesses, Vincent had left home early that morning, determined to pay his last respects to the man he admired.
His father told reporters that the family had not imagined the day would end in tragedy.
“He just wanted to say goodbye to Baba,” Okode said tearfully.
Human rights activists have since called for an independent investigation into the use of live ammunition at Kasarani, questioning why security forces responded to an unarmed crowd with excessive force.
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