Airport Breached as Mourners Overwhelm JKIA Security to Receive Raila’s Body

There was chaos at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday morning after thousands of mourners broke through security barricades to witness the arrival of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s body.

The Kenya Airways aircraft, which had been assigned a special call sign RAO001 in honour of the late opposition leader, touched down at 9:30 a.m. amid emotional scenes.

Moments later, the crowd—chanting Raila’s name and waving ODM flags—forced its way through the VIP gates, overwhelming security officers stationed around the arrival area.

Police and military personnel rushed to contain the situation as mourners flooded the tarmac, briefly disrupting the official reception ceremony.

Members of the Kenya Defence Forces, police, and National Youth Service formed a tight security ring around the plane and the casket as tensions rose.

President William Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who were at the airport to receive the remains, were temporarily escorted back to the VIP lounge as officers worked to restore order.

The planned tarmac ceremony was curtailed as the priority shifted to safely securing the casket and clearing the route for the funeral convoy.

Witnesses described a scene of raw emotion as mourners cried, waved flags, and sang liberation songs associated with Raila’s decades-long struggle for democracy. “Kenyans just wanted to see him one last time,” said one mourner who managed to enter the airport grounds.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga told mourners that the funeral procession would travel along Mombasa Road instead of the Nairobi Expressway to allow citizens to pay their final respects.

Authorities warned of heavy traffic along Mombasa Road and adjacent routes as the convoy made its way to Lee Funeral Home.

From there, Raila’s body will be moved to Parliament Buildings, where it will lie in state for three days before burial on Sunday at his Bondo home.

Police have mounted tight security along all routes connected to the state funeral programme.

Raila Odinga, who died in India on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest, is being accorded full state honours in recognition of his lifetime commitment to democracy, reform, and national unity.

The extraordinary scenes at JKIA underscored the depth of emotion sweeping across the nation—a testament to a man whose political journey shaped Kenya’s modern history.

Body of Raila lowered from Kenya Airways’ RAO 001 plane at JKIA.