Four individuals have lost their lives in Nairobi, Kenya, after security forces opened fire and released teargas in an attempt to control large crowds gathered at a stadium where the late opposition leader Raila Odinga was lying in state.

Odinga, a central figure in Kenyan politics for many years, passed away at the age of 80 in India on Wednesday, where he had been undergoing medical treatment. A former political prisoner, Odinga ran for the presidency five times without success.

Tensions soared as thousands of supporters assembled early in the morning. According to a Reuters observer, chaos started when a massive crowd forced its way through a gate at Nairobi’s main stadium, leading soldiers to fire warning shots into the air.

A police insider reported that two people were fatally shot at the stadium. Later updates from KTN News and Citizen TV indicated that the death toll had climbed to four, with many more injured. The broadcasters said that after gunfire, police deployed teargas to break up the mourning crowds, leaving the stadium nearly empty.

Earlier in the day, mourning crowds briefly took over Nairobi’s international airport, disrupting an official ceremony where President William Ruto and other dignitaries were receiving Odinga’s body with military honors. The disturbance caused a suspension of airport services for about two hours.

Masses also crowded nearby streets and attempted to enter the parliament complex, where the body had originally been scheduled for public viewing.

Though best known as a long-standing opposition leader, Odinga once held the office of prime minister in 2008. More recently, he entered a political agreement with President Ruto, highlighting a career defined by evolving partnerships.

Odinga inspired strong loyalty among his followers, particularly within his Luo community in western Kenya. Many continue to believe that electoral manipulation prevented him from ever claiming the presidency.

Many of those mourning him today were born after 1991, the year Kenya adopted a multi-party political system. They honored his legacy as a freedom fighter and reform advocate.

Felix Ambani Uneck, a university student who was at the stadium, remarked, “He gave his life to ensure we have a multi-party democracy. Our freedoms today are a result of his determination.”