Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of several mourners during the public viewing of the late Raila Odinga’s body at Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums, describing the fatalities as “needless and deeply unfortunate.”
Autopsy reports have confirmed that the victims, who were among thousands of Kenyans paying their last respects to the former Prime Minister, died from gunshot wounds.
In a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Sifuna said his office is working closely with some of the bereaved families, offering both moral and logistical support.
“My office is in contact with some of the families who lost their loved ones during Baba’s send-off at Kasarani and Nyayo. Those were needless and unfortunate deaths, most of them due to gunshot wounds,” Sifuna wrote.
“We have extended our condolences and pledged support in this tragic loss. We hope to have reached all of them by day’s end today.”
Autopsy findings revealed that three men and two women, all young adults, lost their lives most from close-range gunshots. Government Pathologist Bernard Midia confirmed that two victims suffered head wounds, while another died from a bullet that penetrated the chest and abdomen. A fourth victim reportedly died of suffocation at Nyayo Stadium.
Among the deceased are Vincent Otieno Ogutu (36) from Umoja 3, Evans Onyango Kiche (40) from Njiru, Josfae Jida Burka (42) from Lakisama, and Josephine Anjao Akeng’o. The families are now demanding accountability and justice for their loved ones.
Bullets retrieved from the bodies of Ogutu and Kiche have been handed over to the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) for ballistic analysis as investigations intensify.
Human rights advocate Hussein Khalid described the incident as “a clear case of police brutality and unchecked use of deadly force,” calling it not just a tragedy but a human rights crisis.
Sifuna’s statement comes amid growing public outrage, as families seek compensation and prosecution of those responsible. The Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), IPOA, DCI officers from Kasarani and Lang’ata, and various human rights organizations have joined the probe.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has also pledged to provide legal support to the affected families.
