Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga has condemned the teargassing incident witnessed at Kasarani Stadium during the public viewing and appealed for calm and dignity as Kenyans prepare to receive the body of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Kisumu on Saturday, October 18, 2025, morning.

Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, October 17, 2025, Oburu called on mourners to uphold peace and respect as they pay their final respects to a man he described as deeply loved by his people.

“I appeal to our people to be peaceful. I know the pain you feel, but this is not the time to make anything that could cause harm to our people,” Oburu said, his tone heavy with emotion. “We want to behave with dignity. We want our people to respect this occasion because Raila loved them so much, and they should also treat his send-off with dignity,” Oburu added

Oburu urged Kenyans not to allow emotions to lead to confrontations or unrest during the ceremonies in Kisumu and Bondo. “Let us not overdo this. Let us escort our brother in peace. When the body arrives in Kisumu, let us view the body peacefully,” he said.

Kasarani chaos

Reflecting on incidents that occurred on Thursday, October 17, 2025, Oburu expressed disappointment over the use of teargas to disperse the huge crowd that left several people injured and others dead.

“I was disappointed yesterday because there was a lot of tear gas that was thrown around. I don’t really want to see Raila being teargassed in death; he has been teargassed enough when he was alive,” he said.

He added that mourners should avoid actions that could invite confrontation with security officers, emphasising that the focus should remain on giving Raila a dignified farewell.

“Let us not cause a situation where he is teargassed again when we are escorting him. Let us behave in a way that does not give any reason for teargassing and using force on the people who are mourning peacefully,” Oburu appealed.

He concluded by thanking President William Ruto for his involvement in ensuring that Raila Odinga is honoured with the respect he deserves. “I appreciate the President for taking this personally and doing all that could be done for my brother to be given a dignified burial,” Oburu said.

As preparations continue ahead of the final journey to Bondo, Oburu’s words echoed a deep plea for unity, calm, and a peaceful send-off to a man who spent much of his life fighting for Kenya’s freedom and justice.