- Published
Three mourners killed when Kenyan police opened fire at a national farewell for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga were not involved in a clash that sparked gunfire, a BBC Africa Eye investigation has found.
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investigation → publish → gunfire
During an event held last October for people to pay their respects to Odinga, three people were shot dead after mourners attempted to gain access to the VIP section of Nairobi's Kasarani Stadium by force.
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mourners → hold → force
BBC analysis from inside the stadium shows the victims were each between at least 60m (197 ft) and 160m from the scuffles.
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victims → show → scuffles
Kenya's Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told the BBC that the police action had been "restrained" after the crowd starting throwing stones.
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crowd → tell → stones
In footage analysed by the BBC, it is clear that objects, including plastic chairs, are thrown, but we have no evidence that they included stones.
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they → analyse → stones
The BBC went through more than 1,500 images and videos to establish the location of those killed in the stadium on 16 October 2025, and also spoke to some of their relatives.
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BBC → go → relatives
Forensic analysis by the BBC suggests an elite police unit responsible for protecting the president may have fired the fatal shots.
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unit → suggest → shots
Kenya's longest serving opposition leader and former prime minister died the previous day while receiving medical treatment in India.
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leader → serve → India
A year on, Kenya's police watchdog, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), is still investigating the deaths and police response and no-one has been held to account.
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one → investigate → account
The interior minister defended the police by saying they had been under "so much pressure" after working for many hours non-stop and had been deployed to a new venue at the last minute.
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they → defend → minute
"The investigations are being done by an independent police oversight authority, we believe that their findings will help us take appropriate legal action," Murkomen said.
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Murkomen → do → action
Responding to questions about the conduct of police he said: "I don't think… somebody [was] sitting there and saying: 'Shoot now'.
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somebody → respond → police
Yvonne Akinyi, who husband was among those killed told the BBC: "The people who we look at to protect us, these are the people that cause us this pain.
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that → kill → pain
These are the people that make us to become young widows in this country, young orphans in this county," she said.
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she → make → county
Odinga's death at 80 prompted an outpouring of grief across Kenya.
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death → prompt → Kenya
Thousands gathered at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as his body was flown home.
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body → gather → Airport
The body had originally been due to lie in state at parliament, but the scale of the crowds and fears of a security breach forced a last-minute change of venue to Kasarani Stadium.
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scale → lie → Stadium
Officials say they had little time to secure the 48,000-capacity venue, and thousands spilled onto the pitch and into the stands unchecked.
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thousands → say → stands
After several hours of waiting to see the coffin in 30C heat with no public address system for official updates, a small section of the crowd began throwing objects, including plastic chairs, at officers guarding the VIP pavilion.
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section → wait → pavilion
Police fired live rounds as mourners pushed toward the pavilion.
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mourners → fire → pavilion
Footage from elsewhere in the stadium shows the crowd remained largely peaceful.
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crowd → show → stadium
In total, three people were killed.
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people → kill → total
BBC analysis shows he was around 60m from the confrontation when he was killed by a gunshot wound to the head.
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he → show → head
The two other mourners killed, Vincent Ogutu and Jidah Burka, were at least 160m away, in the opposite stands, far removed from the pavilion.
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mourners → kill → pavilion
Autopsy reports confirm that Ogutu died from a gunshot wound to the chest and 42 year-old Burka was fatally shot in the head.
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Burka → confirm → head
Piecing together a timeline of events, BBC Africa Eye identified at least eight police officers operating together, wearing tactical clothing and military camouflage.
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Eye → piece → clothing
These officers carry assault rifles, with no visible insignia and faces covered.
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officers → carry → insignia
Their uniforms and movements are consistent with a layer of security assigned to President William Ruto and other VIPs before and after the shooting.
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uniforms → assign → shooting
At least three officers of this unit appear to fire their weapons.
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officers → appear → weapons
The BBC identified three of them as part of an elite police unit responsible for presidential protection.
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BBC → identify → protection
The BBC cannot establish which bullets killed each victim, and cannot rule out other officers firing inside the stadium.
Kenya's National Police Service told the BBC: "There are huge lessons picked from the day's events," which had "formed a fundamental learning curve for a better, more professional application in the future."
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which → establish → future
The IPOA did not respond to a request for comment.
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IPOA → respond → comment
Ogutu, a 36-year-old father of three, hadn't planned to go to Kasarani, his wife told the BBC.
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wife → plan → BBC
He was in central Nairobi on the morning of 16 October with friends when they saw the crowds heading to the stadium and decided to join.
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crowds → see → stadium
His widow Yvonne Akinyi described how the killing upended their family, saying their children were now orphans.
As she prepares to mark a year since her husband's death, Akinyi is no closer to understanding why he died while paying his respects at an event organised by the government.
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he → describe → government
"I will just try to be that strong woman.
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I → try → ?
But deep inside there is a hole," she said.
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she → be → ?
"It is very painful because sometimes you just sit down and ask yourself.
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you → sit → yourself
The Aporia
