Police Open Fire at Kenyan Stadium, Killing 3 Mourners

At least three people were killed and several others injured when Kenyan police opened fire at a national farewell event for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi. The victims were not involved in a clash that sparked the gunfire, a BBC Africa Eye investigation has found.

According to a BBC forensic analysis, a highly specialized police unit tasked with the president's security may have been involved in the fatal shootings that claimed the lives of Evans Kiche, a 40-year-old father of seven, Vincent Ogutu, a 36-year-old father of three, and Jidah Burka, a 42-year-old individual. The victims sustained fatal head and chest injuries.

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The incident has raised questions about the unit's actions and protocols.

Kenya's Interior Minister Kipchumba, Murkomen told. the BBC that the police action had been "restrained" after the crowd started throwing objects, including plastic chairs, at officers guarding the VIP pavilion. However, the BBC has found no evidence that stones were thrown.

The shooting occurred during an event held last October for people to pay their respects to Odinga. Who was one of the country's most influential political figures. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is still investigating the deaths and police response, but no-one has been held to account.

Yvonne Akinyi, the widow of Evans Kiche, described how the killing upended their family, saying their children were now orphans. "The people who we look at to protect us, these are the people that cause us this pain. These are the people that make us to become young widows in this country, young orphans in this county," she said.

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Following the high-profile event in Kenya, concerns have been raised about the security protocols in place, with the BBC uncovering a team of at least eight officers tasked with safeguarding the president and other prominent figures. These officers, clad in tactical gear and military camouflage, were among the key security personnel deployed.

Kenya's National Police, Service told. the BBC: "There are huge lessons picked from the day's events," which had "formed a fundamental learning curve for a better, more professional application in the future."