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KCAA halts operations at JKIA as Raila mourners throng facility
Mourners stand on a grounded aeroplane, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died, outside the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya October 16, 2025.
Operations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) were paralysed on Thursday after hundreds of mourners and supporters of deceased opposition chief Raila Odinga gained access to restricted areas ahead of the arrival of the former Prime Minister’s body, prompting aviation authorities to order a temporary shutdown.
The decision is expected to result in flight delays. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed that it had suspended all operations at the airport to allow security teams to restore order and ensure the safety of passengers, crew and airport personnel.
In a statement on Thursday, KCAA Director General Emile Arao said the precautionary closure was necessary following what he termed an "ongoing security situation" triggered by the arrival of the late opposition leader’s remains.
“A large number of mourners gained access to restricted areas, prompting a precautionary closure to allow security teams to restore order and ensure safety,” said Mr Arao in a mid-morning notice.
“Members of the public and travelers are advised to remain calm and avoid the airport area until further notice. Normal operations will resume once the airport is declared secure in the next two hours,” he added.
The aviation sector regulator further said it had issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), notifying airlines of the temporary suspension as emergency teams worked to clear unauthorised persons from the airside sections of the airport.
Mr Odinga’s remains were flown in from India earlier Thursday morning under tight security ahead of a planned transfer to Kisumu on Saturday for public viewing and burial in Bondo, Siaya County, on Sunday.
The government has declared a period of national mourning in honour of the veteran politician, whose death earlier on Wednesday has drawn widespread grief and tributes from across the world.
The brief closure of Kenya’s busiest aviation hub highlights the scale of public emotion surrounding Mr Odinga’s death and the logistical pressure it has placed on national transport systems.
JKIA, which handles an average of 20,000 passengers daily and over seven million annually, serves as the country’s primary gateway for both international and domestic travel.
The late opposition leader, who served as Kenya’s second Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013 and was a five-time presidential candidate, will be laid to rest at his ancestral home in Bondo on Sunday.
