At least two people were shot and killed as police moved to take charge of the public viewing of the body of late Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Kasarani International Stadium, Nairobi.
The victims were shot in a confrontation caused after a group tried to force their way into the VIP section of the stadium where mortifications were preparing the body for viewing.
Police said at least one more was injured in the chaos.
The police had to disperse the group to be able to organize the viewing.
This is after it became difficult to organize the exercise for smooth viewing after a long trip from India to Nairobi.
There were also gunshots at the stadium as the crowd turned violent attacking police with twigs demanding fast processing of the viewing.
It was then police used live bullets and teargas canisters to drive them out of the place.
Special teams had to be brought in to help in the operation.
The viewing started at about 4.40 pm.
The crowd had turned up in large numbers to view the body of Odinga, which had been retrieved from India when the chaos broke out.
Police had earlier been attacked by bees at the stadium forcing them to take cover.
It is not clear who had brought the bees.
Police said they wanted to take charge of the event and enable the crowd view the body.
But the crowd had taken control of the main field and terrace making it impossible for the military who had taken charge of she State Funeral to ensure the viewing takes place.
President William Ruto and his deputy Kithure Kindiki had arrived at the stadium to lead the viewing.
Not knowing what to do next, the team was forced to lob teargas at the crowd to chase them out of the field.
This led to chaos at the stadium for several minutes.
Police said they had taken charge of the event and placed the body at strategic place to enable the viewing.
The viewing was expected to extend to the night given the crowd had surged to more than 60,000.
Raila, who passed away Wednesday morning in India, is being accorded full state honors in recognition of his immense contribution to Kenya’s democracy, reform, and national unity.
He will be laid to rest Sunday.
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