At least three people have died in Kenya after police fired gunshots and tear gas in a stadium where crowds of mourners had gathered to see the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Prominent rights group Vocal Africa told the BBC that three bodies of those killed in the chaos had been taken to the city’s main mortuary. Local media has reported that a fourth person also died as officers sought to disperse the surging crowds.It is not yet clear whether the police used live ammunition or rubber bullets in the arena, located in the capital, Nairobi. Vocal Africa said those who died had sustained gunshot wounds.At least three dead after Kenya police open fire to disperse mourners of ex-PM Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga’s body arrives home
At least three people have died in Kenya after police fired gunshots and tear gas in a stadium where crowds of mourners had gathered to see the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Prominent rights group Vocal Africa told the BBC that three bodies of those killed in the chaos had been taken to the city’s main mortuary. Local media has reported that a fourth person also died as officers sought to disperse the surging crowds.
It is not yet clear whether the police used live ammunition or rubber bullets in the arena, located in the capital, Nairobi. Vocal Africa said those who died had sustained gunshot wounds.
Odinga, a giant figure on Kenya’s political scene, died in India on Wednesday.
His body arrived at the country’s main airport on Thursday morning, where the authorities were forced to briefly suspend flights because of the huge crowds gathered there.
Mourners had gained access to restricted areas, prompting a “precautionary closure” that lasted about two hours.
From the airport, thousands of people moved in a procession to escort the vehicle carrying the body to the stadium, about 10km (six miles) from the city centre.
Because of the unexpectedly large crowds, the public viewing ceremony for Odinga’s body was moved to Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre in the Kasarani neighbourhood, rather than inside the parliament building where it was initially scheduled to take place.
The convoy arrived to a packed stadium, with more people waiting outside.
Odinga, a giant figure on Kenya’s political scene, died in India on Wednesday.
