Public viewing of Raila's body concludes peacefully, body taken to Lee Funeral Home
The crowds were later seen leaving the stadium after having paid tributes to their leader in an exercise that ended at around 5 pm.
The public viewing of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga concluded peacefully on Friday as the hearse carrying his body departed Nyayo Stadium for Lee Funeral Home, marking the end of a day of solemn national mourning.
The crowds were later seen leaving the stadium after having paid tributes to their leader in an exercise that ended at around 5:00 pm.
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The body will be at Lee Funeral Home for overnight preservation before being airlifted to Kisumu on Saturday morning in readiness for burial.
Friday’s calm scenes stood in sharp contrast to the chaos witnessed on Thursday at Kasarani Stadium, where thousands of supporters tried to force their way into the VIP area where Raila’s body had been placed.
The crowd began hurling chairs and stones at security guards, prompting police officers to fire warning shots into the air and deploy teargas. The melee, which broke out shortly after 3:00 pm, left at least three people dead and several others injured, forcing security agencies to reinforce operations ahead of Friday’s viewing.
Despite the calmer environment, Kenya Red Cross teams described Friday as a challenging day, responding to a stampede that left several people injured as they rushed to view the coffin of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Meanwhile, preparations in Kisumu are underway. Governor Anyang Nyong’o and PS Raymond Omollo confirmed that Raila’s body will arrive in Kisumu at 8:00 am, and by 3:00 pm, the procession will move by road to Bondo for the burial.
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