Seven fans died from a stampede while trying to get into a football match between two of Kenya’s most popular teams, the Kenya Red Cross said on Saturday.
Six people were killed when they were run over by the crowd outside Nyayo National Stadium, and one more died after being taken to Kenyatta National Hospital, said Red Cross spokesman Titus Mungo’u.
He said at least four people were injured, but that number could be higher since several ambulance services were called to the scene.
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About halfway through the first half of the match between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, a spectator ran onto the field to warn the referee that “people are being crushed to death,” the Kenya Premier League website reported.
It was only then that the stadium crowd began to learn that ambulances were ferrying away bodies and the injured outside the stadium.
The match resumed after a 10-minute break and Gor Mahia won 1-0.
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Jack Oguda, CEO of the KPL, said he couldn’t understand why fans couldn’t get in properly because the stadium wasn’t full.
“A gate was broken into by fans forcing their way into the stadium,” Mr. Oguda said. “Access was limited and they got agitated and that’s why they forced their way in.
“We’ll start an inquiry into the matter to establish why fans could not access the stadium.”
Gor Mahia coach Zedekiah Otieno said, “Management should ensure that gates are open on time to avoid a mad rush to the stadium during games of this magnitude.”