Raila’s body draws last-minute crowds at Nyayo after official ceremonies end
By Steve Ireri, October 17, 2025As the official state funeral of the late Raila Odinga concluded at Nyayo Stadium on Friday, October 17, 2025, thousands of mourners who had attended the ceremony remained in the stadium, eager to pay their final respects to the former Prime Minister.
After dignitaries, including President William Ruto, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Cabinet Secretaries, senior ODM officials, and foreign leaders, departed the venue, the public was left with a unique opportunity to view the late leader’s casket.
Also watch: Mourners chant ‘Raila usilale bado mapambano’ at state funeral
Raila’s body, draped in the national flag, remained at the centre of the stadium under tight security.
National Youth Service officers lined up near the casket alongside General Service Unit personnel to prevent mourners from trespassing while ensuring orderly access.
Security officers had set up a clearly marked path leading to the casket, where mourners queued in single file. Each person was allowed to approach the body in turn, ensuring everyone remaining in the stadium had a chance to pay their respects without overcrowding.
Social media captured the solemn yet tightly controlled atmosphere.
A TikTok live by user @daisymtembei showed mourners moving along the designated corridor, maintaining a slow but steady pace to allow everyone present a chance for a personal farewell.
Many paused at the line, placing their hands briefly over the casket or bowing their heads in quiet reflection, while security personnel ensured the process remained uninterrupted and safe.
Earlier this week, the country witnessed unprecedented scenes surrounding Raila’s repatriation.
The late leader, who passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in Kerala, India, at the age of 80, was flown back to Kenya on Thursday, October 16, aboard Kenya Airways flight RAO001.
The arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport drew such massive crowds that military personnel were forced to abandon the official reception plan.
Thousands surged onto the tarmac, chanting Raila’s name as fire trucks performed a water salute for the first time for a Kenyan leader. The casket was then escorted to Lee Funeral Home amid mammoth crowds.
Public viewing had originally been scheduled at Parliament Buildings but was relocated to Kasarani Stadium to accommodate the overwhelming number of mourners.
The sheer density of the crowd during the Kasarani viewings tragically led to three deaths on Thursday, October 16, as VOCAL Africa later confirmed.
Also watch: Kenya Airways increases number of flights to Kisumu ahead of Raila’s burial
Today’s final public viewing was conducted with heightened security and meticulous organisation to prevent a repeat of the previous day’s chaos.
Officers controlled the flow carefully, ensuring mourners moved along the stretch leading to the casket line, allowing each individual to pay tribute without overcrowding.
Observers noted the mix of solemnity and emotion among those present, many wiping tears or clasping portraits of the late leader as they approached the line.
The state funeral earlier in the day had been marked by full military honours, hymns, and addresses from both local and international leaders.
Among foreign dignitaries in attendance were Taye Atske Selassie, President of Ethiopia; Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia; Philip Mpango, Vice President of Tanzania; Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of Tanzania; and Vincent Biruta, Rwandan Interior Minister representing President Paul Kagame.
Officials from Uganda, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the African Union, and the United Nations also paid their respects, highlighting Raila Odinga’s influence across the continent.
Raila Odinga, who served as Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at his family homestead in Bondo, Siaya County, beside his mother, Mary Odhiambo Odinga.