A stampede and violent clashes between rival football fans left dozens injured and one person nearly dead on Sunday at Gusii Stadium, hours before a highly anticipated Kenyan Premier League match between Gor Mahia and Shabana FC, authorities said.
The chaos broke out in the crowded stands of the stadium, where tensions were already high ahead of the match between third-placed Gor Mahia and fourth-placed Shabana FC, who were only two points apart in the league standings.
Videos shared on social media showed fights starting among fans, with some throwing stones and bottles at others. The situation quickly turned into a stampede, leaving several people trampled and needing urgent medical help.
As panic spread, some fans ran onto the pitch to escape the violence, while stadium stewards fled for their own safety.
According to local authorities, dozens of fans were injured, with many taken to hospital after the standby ambulance was overwhelmed by the number of casualties.
By early afternoon, with Gor Mahia players yet to begin their warm-up, doubts emerged about whether the match would proceed. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has not yet announced whether the game will be rescheduled or if sanctions will be imposed on the clubs.
The incident follows a troubling pattern of violence at high-profile matches.
Just a week earlier, on April 27, a journalist was hospitalised after an alleged assault during a Gor Mahia–Mara Sugar game.
The Sports Journalists Association of Kenya has since urged the FKF to address the growing issue of fan violence. More to follow.
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