Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has admitted that security agencies faced significant challenges during the funeral proceedings of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Speaking on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at the AIC Kisumu Arina Local Church, Murkomen said the government did not anticipate the scale of events that followed Raila’s sudden passing.
Murkomen revealed that logistical and security lapses were especially evident when Raila’s body arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where thousands of mourners overwhelmed security officers and gained access to the runway. “Many people corrected us as a ministry. But nobody plans death, especially of a man of Raila’s magnitude,” he said, thanking regional security teams for their quick response.
Due to the overwhelming crowd, the initial plan to hold a public viewing at Parliament Buildings was shifted to the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. The move, however, was not without incident, as officers briefly used live ammunition to control anxious mourners a situation Murkomen personally intervened to de-escalate.
The CS praised his team for improving coordination as the funeral procession moved from JKIA to Kasarani, Nyayo Stadium, Kisumu, and finally Bondo, Siaya County.
Murkomen explained that Raila’s wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death posed additional logistical challenges, forcing the government to organize a State Funeral in record time. Raila was laid to rest on October 19, 2025, at his ancestral home in Kang’o, Ka Jaramogi, Bondo.
