Two people were shot dead in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on Thursday after security forces fired in the air to disperse thousands of mourners at a stadium hosting a viewing of deceased opposition leader Raila Odinga’s body.
Tens of thousands of mourners in Kenya fled in panic when security forces fired gunshots and teargas in a stadium where they had gathered to see the coffin of Odinga, whose body was repatriated from India.
Three people were visibly injured at Kasarani Stadium after security fired to disperse surging crowds trying to break into the VIP section, according to AFP.
Odinga, 80, died of a suspected heart attack at a health clinic in southern India on Wednesday, triggering a huge outpouring of grief across much of Kenya.
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He was one of Kenya’s foremost statesmen.
He ran unsuccessfully for the presidency five times but was seen as a major force for democratic reform.
A large crowd initially gathered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport early on Thursday to greet his coffin, forcing the civil aviation authority to temporarily suspend operations to “restore order and ensure safety”.
The body was initially due to be taken to parliament, but with supporters swarming and clambering up the gates, the authorities decided to relocate the coffin to Kasarani Stadium on the outskirts of the capital.
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