\ Kenya is in mourning. The country's arguably most consequential politician, Raila Odinga, died on Wednesday, October 15. He breathed h...
\Kenya is in mourning. The country's arguably most consequential politician, Raila Odinga, died on Wednesday, October 15.
He breathed his last at the Devamatha Hospital in Southern India. Raila suffered a cardiac arrest while on his morning walk, prompting his admission to the facility Wednesday morning.
The specialist cardiologist who attended to him explained that Raila's heart was not beating at the time of his admission; they embarked on resuscitative measures, including intubation, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), placement in the IVC filter to assess blood clots, injection and thrombolysis, all to no avail.
Raila died, bringing to an end his 80 years of existence and over three decades of dominance in Kenyan politics.
This live blog keeps you up-to-date on the final journey of Kenya's political phenomenon, whose impact will never be erased in Kenya's history.
The body of the late Raila Odinga, onboard the RAO001 flight, touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) moments past 9:30am, Thursday, October 16.
Accompany the body from India was a 30-member delegation stewarded by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
A sombre mood settled at the country's main airport where President William Ruto was on standby to receive the body.
The high-spirited supporters of the late Raila Odinga, who had gathered outside the JKIA, would not be held back by the security barriers.
They overpowered the security guards and ran past them to breach the VIP gates to access the runway, with others crowding on the aircraft that ferried the body.
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Charles Kahariri, was spotted at the scene trying to calm the crowd down.
They were later calmed down and allowed the body to be wheeled out of the plane.
The Ministry of Health announced deploying 36 embulances for emergency during the reception of Raila Odinga's body.
According to Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, the ambulances are each fully equipped with Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) facilities and staffed with a paramedic, nurse, and driver, ensuring effective on-site emergency response and safe patient evacuation when necessary.
They were deployed jointly by; Kenya Red Cross (20 ambulances), St. John Ambulance (4), Nairobi Disaster Service (3), Nairobi Emergency Services (8) and Kenyatta National Hospital (1).
Mourners have been captured matching in their numbers along the roads in the Nairobi city centre en route to the JKIA.
They were heard vowing to take up Raila Odinga's body and march with it back.
Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir is among the dignitaries at the JKIA where Raila Odinga's body landed minutes ago.
Nassir, who was Raila's deputy in the ODM party, could not hold his emotions back, letting them out through the painful tears captured on a low-quality video.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has announced a temporary suspension of aviation services at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
KCAA director general Emile Arao attributed the closure to the multitude of mourners who gained access to the runway immediately after the flight bearing the body of Raila Odinga touched down.
"A large number of mourners gained access to restricted areas, prompting a precautionary closure to allow security teams to restore order and ensure safety. Members of the public and travellers are advised to remain calm and avoid the airport area until further notice. Normal operations will resume once the airport is declared secure in the next two hours. A NOTAM of the same has been issued. KCAA regrets any inconvenience and appreciates the public's understanding and cooperation," the agency said.
Siaya senator Oburu Odinga has called for calm among the thousands of supporters who showed up outside the JKIA to receive the body of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
He promised them that they would have a chance to view the body at Parliament Buildings.
At the same time, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki pleaded with the public to keep calm and allow the family time to grieve.
Kindiki equally promised them that they would have a chance to pay their last respects.
The body of Raila Odinga is now en route to Kasarani Stadium for public viewing.
The fallen leader's supporters got out of hand outside the JKIA, demanding to take over the body.
It took the intervention of Raila's elder brother, Senator Oburu Odinga, and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to calm them.
Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga would later announce that the body would be taken to Kasarani, foregoing Parliament Buildings, where it had earlier been scheduled to lie in repose.
At Parliament Buildings, present lawmakers had difficulty containing the public.
Senator Ledama Olekina of Narok and Nairobi's Edwin Sifuna, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and South Mugirango's Sylvanus Osoro, among others, strived to calm the public.
Some complied while others insisted on staying there, perhaps unaware of the update regarding the new venue.
Members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have complied with the requirement to have Raila Odinga's body taken to Kasarani Stadium.
The officers, who are in charge of the funeral, were seen removing the catafalque, which had been set to hold the body as Kenyans pay their last respects.
They loaded it onto their vehicle alongside other critical paraphernalia, which had been placed at Parliament Buildings, to take them to the Kasarani Stadium.
Members of the KDF have had difficulty containing mourners who would not confine themselves to protocols during the reception of deceased ODM leader Raila Odinga's body.
After the incident at the JKIA, where the mourners breached the gates to access the runway, others were determined to closely trail the body despite the KDF soldiers being in charge.
One was captured in a video slumping onto the coffin draped in the national flag.
He supported himself atop it and wept as the KDF officers who were wheeling it away watched.
The officers seemed to have given in to their pressure, leaving them to mourn but keep a close check.
Thousands of mourners have arrived at the Kasarani Stadium ahead of the public viewing of Raila Odinga's body.
The venue was changed from Parliament Buildings to the stadium due to the surging number of mourners, which posed a security threat.
They were captured running across the pitch, and others were on their motorcycles.
The police deployed for crowd control could not help but watch from a distance.
The body of deceased ODM leader Raila Odinga is finally at the Kasarani Stadium, where thousands of mourners await to pay their last respects.
They escorted the body from the JKIA to the venue. Ferrying the body was KDF officers who drove the hearse from the airport.
The coffin, draped in the national flag, was unloaded from the gun carriaged and carried by the officers into the stadium.
Police have been forced to disperse mourners at Kasarani Stadium using teargas.
Thousands of them were already in the pitch and the sitting areas when the body of Raila Odinga arrived.
The police were triggered by the throwing of twigs by the mourners at the presidential dias.
The security agents launched teargas to disperse them, and at some point, flogged them to get them off the VIP section of the stadium, which they had started filling.
With the situation getting nasty, the crowds took to their heels, with some taking cover behind the advertisement boards on the pitch.
Earlier, the police fired rubber bullets into the air, but that did not stop the crowds, prompting the use of teargas.
The national carrier has celebrated its crew that operated the solemn flight that returned Raila Odinga's body from India.
Kenya Aiways assigned the KQ203 flight to its A-team of accomplished crew that embodies high-level professionalism.
The flight, which ceremonially changed to RAO001, was under the stewardship of Captain Saviamaria Ondego.
The airline lauded them for the precision with which they operated the most-tracked flight.
"Your professionalism, composure, and dedication in this solemn duty embody the true spirit of service and care that defines us. As #ThePrideofAfrica, we remain honoured to have played a part in bringing one of Kenya’s great sons home," the airline tweeted.
The coffin bearing the body of deceased ODM leader Raila Odinga was finally opened for the public.
President William Ruto, his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, and the bereaved family led by Mama Ida Odinga were the first ones to have a glimpse of the fallen leader.
The former head of state viewed the body immediately after the family.
Earlier, President William Ruto opened the public viewing inside the Kasarani Stadium VIP section.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino took it upon himself to address the impatient crowd at Kasarani awaiting their moment of goodbye with the late Raila Odinga.
He assured them that they would get a chance to view the body.
The chaos at the Kasarani Stadium on Thursday afternoon, October 16, claimed at least two lives.
Police who were out to control the crowd shot into the air and launched teargas to disperse the crowds that had got out of hand.
Two people died from gunshots.
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