Family demands justice as Kasarani stampede victim identified

The body of a young man killed during the chaotic public viewing of the late Raila Odinga at Kasarani Stadium has been positively identified as 23-year-old Michael Okoth Okumu from Kibera.

A post-mortem report reveals that Okoth died from a lack of oxygen and sustained multiple head injuries.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is now under pressure to ensure police officers involved in the Kasarani incident are held accountable.

Citizen Digital visited the family, where, for five days, they believed their son was at work, going about his usual carpentry job in Kibera.

Unknown to them, he was among five people who lost their lives in the chaos that erupted as thousands flocked to Kasarani to pay their last respects to the late Raila Odinga.

When his mother grew uneasy about his absence, she asked his brother to search for him — a search that ended tragically at the City Mortuary.

“The doctor said it looked like stones fell on his head. He couldn’t breathe, and there were marks on his head. It’s as if stones collapsed on him at Nyayo Stadium — that’s how he lost his life,” said Patrick Omondi Okumu, the brother of the deceased.

Activists, together with former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, visited the family to console them and announced that Sonko would cater for all funeral expenses.

“It seems as if all the speeches that were made during Baba’s funeral — they were all PR. It was just public relations. But no one is standing with justice. So we’re asking Kenyans to remember that they are on their own. Baba is gone now, and we need to stand for ourselves,” said Vocal Africa Activist Khalid Hussein stated.

“Leaders who spoke even before Baba’s body had completely turned cold — they are already abandoning Baba’s calls for justice. No one has been here to grieve with the families. No one has condemned the killings, the deaths. No one has called for justice for those who have died and those who are injured up to this point in time.”

Sonko, on his par,t said, “Human beings — they’re not chicken. Hawa si wanyama, si terrorists. They were not demonstrating. They had gone there to stand in solidarity na Baba’s family. Kwa hivyo, we want IPOA to move with speed.”

Okoth’s brother expressed his grief, saying Michael had been the one taking care of their ailing mother and dreamed of developing their family home in Alego, Siaya County — but that was not to be.

“He told me he couldn’t marry early like I did because the children depending on him would suffer. He said he would marry in 2027 if Ruto returns for his second term. Now Ruto hasn’t even returned for his second term, and he’s dead. That’s what he told me when we were talking,” said Omondi.

The body of Michael Okoth is expected to be transported to his village in Alego, Siaya County, for burial.