Shooting of mourners confirms State does not value our lives

 Police lob teargas canisters at mourners during the public viewing of the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, on October 16, 2025. [David Gichuru, Standard]

As Kenya mourns the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, some families have been mourning for entirely different, yet related reasons. On Friday, during the planned viewing of Raila's body at Kasarani Stadium, police opened fire on the unsuspecting public, leading to the deaths of a number of people. Similar incidences of police brutality have been reported in other parts of the country. These incidences are sadly not isolated, coming after months of discussions about police brutality and the callous taking of life by the State.