Thousands Storm Nairobi Airport to Pay Tribute to Raila Odinga

Nairobi — Thousands of mourners briefly stormed Nairobi’s international airport on Thursday, disrupting a ceremony for veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, who passed away at the age of 80 while receiving medical treatment in India.

Odinga, a towering figure in Kenyan politics for decades, had served as prime minister in 2008 and ran unsuccessfully for president five times. Despite his opposition role, he forged a political pact with President William Ruto last year, highlighting his enduring influence.

As his body arrived in Nairobi, mourners flooded the airport, waving flags and twigs, and even riding motorbikes onto the airside, briefly interrupting the military honours ceremony. The disruption forced a two-hour suspension of airport operations.

Some supporters also attempted to climb the gates of parliament, where a public viewing had been initially scheduled. The venue was later moved to a Nairobi sports stadium, according to his party.

Odinga’s Luo tribe supporters, concentrated in western Kenya, have long revered him and many believe he was denied the presidency through electoral fraud, reflecting the deep loyalty he commanded across decades.

President Ruto and other officials personally received Odinga’s body, paying tribute to his decades-long service and legacy in Kenyan politics.

(Reuters)