Reason Raila’s Public Viewing Cannot Take Place at Parliament Buildings

The remains of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga have been redirected to the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, after massive crowds made it impossible for the planned transfer to proceed as scheduled.

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula announced that the public viewing of Odinga’s body would now take place at Kasarani, citing safety concerns due to uncontrollable crowds.

He further revealed that mortuary staff from Lee Funeral Home had been dispatched to the airport to embalm the body before it could be airlifted to Kasarani for formal arrangements.

According to Wetang’ula, the funeral committee determined that the Parliament Buildings would not have sufficient space to accommodate the large number of mourners expected to attend.

Plans to Move Body from JKIA to Parliament Abandoned

Initial plans to move Odinga’s body from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Lee Funeral Home, and later to Parliament for public viewing, were abruptly abandoned after the situation at the airport escalated.

Military officials and morticians who had been stationed at Lee to receive and prepare the body were instructed to proceed directly to Kasarani, where the preparation process will now take place.

“The crowd was simply uncontrollable. The mortician and his team have left in the military van,” a senior official at Lee Funeral Home told journalists.

The team reportedly departed the mortuary at around 11:05 a.m., as hundreds of mourners gathered outside the facility despite a heavy police presence.

Security Agencies Divert Route to Kasarani

In a last-minute decision, security agencies redirected the motorcade from Mombasa Road through Outering Road to Kasarani, bypassing the central business district where crowds had already filled major streets.

Top government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries Geoffrey Ruku and Lee Kinyanjui, as well as Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau, remained at Lee even as security forces began a quiet withdrawal from the scene.

Authorities cited overwhelming crowds at JKIA, Mombasa Road, and Nairobi’s CBD, making it logistically impossible to proceed with the original route to Parliament.

Officials later confirmed that dignitaries will first view Raila’s body at Kasarani, after which the general public will be allowed to pay their respects in an official state viewing ceremony.

Temporary Closure of JKIA After Security Breach

Operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were temporarily suspended following a security incident during the arrival of the opposition leader’s remains.

In a statement, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the suspension was prompted by a large number of mourners who gained access to restricted areas.

“KCAA informs the public that operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport have been temporarily suspended due to an ongoing security situation following the arrival of the remains of the late Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga,” said Director General Emile Arao.

The authority urged travellers and members of the public to remain calm and avoid the airport until further notice, noting that operations would resume once the area was declared secure. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was also issued to alert aviation stakeholders about the temporary closure.

KCAA said normal operations were expected to resume within two hours after security teams completed their assessment.

Emotional Scenes at State Pavilion

Emotional scenes unfolded at the State Pavilion as crowds of mourners and boda boda riders surged into restricted areas during the arrival of Odinga’s body.

The sudden influx disrupted the official reception programme, forcing security personnel to briefly lose control as supporters broke through barriers to catch a glimpse of the hearse carrying the late leader’s remains.

Despite the chaos, the atmosphere remained largely peaceful. Mourners were heard chanting Raila’s name and the traditional Luo dirge “Jowi! Jowi! Jowi!” as the casket was received.

Security agencies later restored order as the motorcade prepared to leave for Kasarani, where the public viewing will now be held.

Thousands of Kenyans have continued to pour into Nairobi to pay their respects to the long-serving opposition leader, whose death in India on Wednesday has plunged the nation into deep mourning.