Misinformation Spreads During Mourning for Raila Odinga: False Stadium Image and Fabricated Arsenal Tribute

Kenya’s iconic opposition leader Raila Amolo Odinga, who died at age 80 on October 15, 2025, was mourned across the nation during a three-day national period declared by President William Ruto. As Kenya paid tribute to the former Prime Minister and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, misinformation spread rapidly online, complicating public understanding of events surrounding his funeral.

Odinga died in an Indian hospital while receiving treatment for a heart-related ailment. His death triggered memorial events in Nairobi, followed by funeral services and burial in his native town of Bondo in western Kenya. As public mourning intensified, fact-checkers identified and investigated several instances of viral misinformation.

One prominent example involved a fabricated tribute allegedly from Arsenal Football Club. Odinga was known to be an ardent supporter of the North London club, often celebrating their victories and occasionally attending matches at Emirates Stadium. Shortly after his death announcement, social media platforms circulated what appeared to be an official statement from Arsenal FC expressing condolences. Even Odinga’s own political party, ODM, shared the image on their official X account.

However, verification efforts found no evidence of such a tribute on any of Arsenal’s official channels, including their website and social media platforms. The ODM party subsequently deleted the post, confirming the tribute was indeed fabricated.

A second, more sophisticated deception involved an AI-generated image purporting to show a packed stadium during Odinga’s memorial services. The image, shared by politician AliNur Mohammed and even Odinga’s daughter Winnie on Facebook, attracted thousands of engagements. Mohammed’s caption claimed “Baba is the greatest Kenyan in life & death,” while Winnie appeared to thank Kenyans for their support.

Fact-checkers analyzed the viral stadium image, comparing it with the four venues where Odinga’s memorial events actually took place: Moi International Sports Centre and Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu County, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University in Siaya County. None of these venues matched the distinctive circular configuration shown in the viral image.

Further investigation using Google’s SynthID platform confirmed with “very high” confidence that the stadium image was fully or partially generated by artificial intelligence. The platform’s analysis provides strong evidence that the purported crowd photo was fabricated rather than documented.

A separate fact-check by Africa Check revealed another AI-generated deception: a video falsely claiming to show Odinga’s final moments in the hospital. The manipulated footage contained telltale signs of AI generation, including deformed fingers and anatomically impossible hands on supposed medical staff. A reverse image search traced the original source to a 2017 photo taken when Odinga was hospitalized for suspected food poisoning.

Raila Amolo Odinga, born January 7, 1945, was a towering figure in Kenyan politics. The son of Kenya’s first post-independence Vice-President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, he became known for his political activism against one-party rule in the 1970s and 1980s, which led to multiple arrests and a brief exile in Norway.

Upon returning to Kenya in 1991, Odinga embraced multi-party politics and was elected to parliament representing Lang’ata Constituency. His career included ministerial positions in energy, roads, public works, and housing. He contested presidential elections five times (1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022) and served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 under a power-sharing arrangement with President Mwai Kibaki.

Known affectionately as “Baba” (father) to many Kenyans, Odinga was renowned for his oratorical skills and ability to mobilize political support. He is survived by his wife, Ida Odinga, and their children. His death marks the end of an era in Kenyan politics, even as digital misinformation threatens to distort his legacy during this period of national mourning.