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Several injured in stampede at Mamboleo Stadium
18th October, 2025 04:19 PM
Several people were injured on Saturday, October 18, during a stampede at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo, Kisumu, where thousands had gathered for the public viewing of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s body.
The incident disrupted the solemn exercise as crowds surged forward in a desperate attempt to access the main viewing area.
Also Watch: Funeral committee cancels plan for Raila’s body to stay at Karen home
Confirming the incident on Saturday, October 18, 2025, the Kenya Red Cross said response teams attended to the victims and worked closely with other emergency partners to evacuate those in critical condition to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital for treatment.
“Day 2 at Mamboleo Stadium. Kenya Red Cross response teams attended to a stampede incident that left several people injured. Working closely with other emergency response partners, those in critical condition were evacuated to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital for further treatment,” Kenya Red Cross stated.
Also Watch: Mombasa governor weeps uncontrollably at JKIA as Raila’s body arrives
Medical tents set up within the stadium were quickly overwhelmed as volunteers and medics struggled to assist the injured and those who fainted due to suffocation and exhaustion.
Chaos
The stampede at Mamboleo Stadium was the latest in a series of chaotic events witnessed across the country since the body of the late opposition leader arrived in Kenya. At the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, thousands of mourners defied security protocols as they thronged the airport to receive the body, bringing operations to a standstill. Police were forced to intervene after the crowd attempted to break through restricted areas to catch a glimpse of the casket.
Outside Parliament Buildings in Nairobi, where the body was briefly scheduled to lie in state, similar scenes played out as supporters pushed against barriers in their attempt to enter. The disorder prompted officials to cancel the viewing at Parliament, citing safety concerns and overcrowding.
At the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, chaos erupted on Thursday, October 16, 2025, when mourners clashed with police officers while trying to access VIP sections. Tear gas was fired to disperse the crowd after a stampede broke out, leaving several people injured. Reports indicated at least three fatalities and dozens more hurt during the scuffle.
The following day, during the state funeral service at Nyayo National Stadium, tragedy struck again when a stampede at Gate 5 left two people dead and more than 160 injured. Many fainted as the crowd surged forward to view Odinga’s body, forcing emergency teams to rush in with stretchers and oxygen tanks.
Despite these incidents, thousands of Kenyans have continued to turn up in large numbers to pay their final respects to the veteran politician, whose decades-long struggle for democracy and social justice earned him admiration across the country. Security agencies have since intensified crowd control efforts, urging mourners to remain calm and follow instructions during the remaining ceremonies leading up to Odinga’s burial in his Bondo home.
