FANS FORCE ENTRY INTO KASARANI AS TICKET SHORTAGE MAR CHAN OPENER

Security was briefly disrupted at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on Sunday afternoon after a section of football fans broke through barriers to gain entry into the stadium ahead of the CHAN 2024 match between Harambee Stars and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The incident occurred shortly before 2pm, as stewards and police struggled to control crowds outside the stadium. Eyewitnesses reported fans pushing past security checkpoints, with some scaling gates or dismantling temporary barriers erected for crowd control.

The breach followed growing complaints over the unavailability of tickets for the opening match. Despite the stadium’s 48,000-seat capacity, many supporters were unable to secure access, prompting long queues that extended as far as Thika Road Mall. Some fans claimed tickets were hoarded or sold in bulk, raising concerns over transparency in the distribution process.

Earlier in the day, Nairobi politician Mike Sonko offered to sponsor 500 tickets for fans unable to afford the entry fee, while the organisers provided free transport from Garden City Mall for ticket holders.

Both teams arrived at the stadium on schedule, with the match set to kick off at 3pm. By that time, large numbers of spectators had already filled the stands, though it remains unclear how many gained entry without tickets.

The CHAN 2024 tournament, which officially began on August 2, is being co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Tanzania won their opening match against Burkina Faso.

No injuries or arrests were reported during the incident at Kasarani, and officials have not yet issued a formal response regarding the ticketing concerns or crowd control challenges.