Wamuzi News Ke
The grief surrounding Raila Odinga’s state funeral has escalated into a crisis of accountability. On Friday morning, families of three individuals fatally shot during Thursday’s chaotic public viewing at Kasarani Stadium issued a blistering demand for justice — condemning what they say was wanton violence against innocent mourners.
Among the confirmed deceased are Vincent Otieno Ogutu and Evans Onyango Kiche — both shot in the melee as thousands pressed to catch a last glimpse of the former Prime Minister’s body. Their relatives reject any narrative that frames their deaths as collateral damage in crowd control.
“My Husband Was Innocent” — Voices of Mourning, Voices of Outrage.
Yvonne Akinyi, wife of Vincent Ogutu, spoke through tears about the manner in which her husband was shot — allegedly in the chest, not as an accidental stray bullet but a targeted assault. “He was not chaotic in any way,” she insisted. “Unfortunately, he was shot — and the saddest part is the person who shot him aimed at the left side of his chest.”
In Kiche’s family, the pain is equally acute. His wife, Brenda Akoth, last spoke to him moments before he left work to view the body. Hours later, she received word that he had died and his body was at the City Mortuary. “I was not fine,” she said, recalling frantic calls after his phone cut off.
Relatives also pointed to disfigurement: Kiche’s body, they say, had visible trauma beyond a gunshot wound. Mourners and family members argue that the deaths cannot be smoothed over as consequences of over-excited legislation — the loss is concrete, personal, and demand for redress immediate.
From Mourning to Accountability — The Stakes Are National.
These are not isolated tragedies; they form part of a pattern of rising tension between the state and citizens during a period meant for solemn remembrance. And for families steeped in grief, justice is not merely rhetorical:
Criminal investigations: They want names of officers, chains of command, forensic ballistics — the full record of how live fire was authorized.
Institutional responsibility: The families demand public accounting from Interior Ministry, Inspector General of Police, and the National Funeral Committee.Compensation and reparations:
Beyond death announcements, they seek financial, medical, and symbolic remedies from the state.Safeguards for mourners: They call for guaranteed protection for citizens attending future funeral stages, in Kisumu, Bondo or elsewhere — no excuses for deadly force again.
Early Confirmations, Further Questions.
Vocal Africa and rights groups have confirmed deaths of Ogutu and Kiche, and say a third body is under verification. Kiche is identified as a 40-year-old father of three. Ogutu’s father, Meshack Ogutu, was said to have broken down during body identification, revealing the family’s anguish publicly. The families accuse authorities of deploying lethal force against mourners whose only crime was loyalty to Raila’s memory.
