NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 17 — What was meant to be a solemn reception for Kenya’s veteran opposition leader, Raila Odinga, on Thursday, descended into chaos and confusion — a spectacle that has left the nation questioning the competence of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
From Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Kasarani Stadium, the events surrounding the return and public viewing of Odinga’s body exposed a breakdown in Kenya’s security command structure and crowd management — a failure that played out before the eyes of the world.
At Kasarani, where thousands had gathered to pay their final respects, chaos erupted when emotional mourners attempted to breach the VIP area where President William Ruto and other dignitaries were seated. What followed was an embarrassing display of confusion and poor coordination among security agencies.
Footage widely circulated online showed CS Murkomen appearing helpless — desperately pleading with armed police officers to stop firing tear gas and live rounds at mourners. At one point, he was seen frantically waving his arms and pointing toward the stands, shouting at officers to hold their fire.
For a man in charge of the country’s internal security, the image of a desperate Murkomen rushing from the VIP section toward the field — flanked by Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Chief of Staff Felix Koskei — painted a picture of a leadership vacuum in real time.
Confused
The CS appeared confused, issuing verbal pleas to junior officers who were evidently taking orders from elsewhere.
“Where were the commanding officers?” a curious Kenyan asked online. “Why was the CS himself running around the pitch instead of directing from a command post?”
The question of coordination — or the lack thereof — hung heavily over the day’s events. Multiple agencies, including the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), Recce Squad, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and regular police, were on site. Yet, in the face of a surging crowd, their response was contradictory and chaotic. Officers were seen firing tear gas into the terraces where mourners had gathered only moments earlier.
The pandemonium left at least three people dead and several others injured as mourners scrambled for safety amid gunfire and choking tear gas. Kenya Red Cross and National Youth Service personnel provided first aid before emergency evacuations were conducted.
The Kasarani incident came only hours after a separate security lapse at JKIA, where thousands of Odinga’s supporters breached restricted areas — including the runway — as the plane carrying his remains arrived from Mumbai.
JKIA mayhem
Despite the presence of the President, military personnel, and elite police units such as the Recce Squad, the crowd overwhelmed perimeter barriers, with some motorbikes reaching the tarmac. The breach forced the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to briefly shut down Nairobi’s airspace for nearly two hours.
The disorganization forced President Ruto to abandon plans to receive Odinga’s casket at the aircraft due to the uncontrolled crowd surge.
KAA Acting CEO Mohamud Gedi later confirmed that airspace had been temporarily closed to restore order, calling it “an unprecedented safety measure.”
“The safety and security of our passengers, staff, and all airport users is our highest priority,” Gedi said.
Yet critics argue that the buck stops with Murkomen. How could Kenya’s top security official fail to anticipate and prepare for the magnitude of crowds that Odinga’s return would draw?
To make matters worse, Murkomen’s decision to travel to India as part of the delegation accompanying Odinga’s remains — instead of staying behind to oversee national security planning — has drawn sharp criticism.
“He was supposed to be organizing this yesterday, but he couldn’t miss a flight to India,” one Kenyan wrote on X. Another added: “He was to organize proper security briefings but instead went to take photos to and from India. Nonsense.”
By the time the public viewing at Kasarani descended into chaos, it was evident that the Ministry of Interior had lost control. What should have been a moment of national unity turned into a display of panic, poor command, and dangerous misjudgment.
Murkomen’s on-field theatrics — waving his arms, pleading with officers, and shouting over gunfire — will be remembered not as a symbol of leadership but as evidence of dysfunction at the heart of Kenya’s security apparatus.
“Professional crowd control is a big challenge for the police. Worse still, the Security Council seems lost with zero situational awareness,” another Kenyan remarked.
With the burial in Bondo only a day away, Kenyans are left hoping that the lessons from JKIA and Kasarani will not remain embarrassing footnotes — but serve as urgent warnings that compel the government to confront the glaring incompetence in its security management.
