NAIROBI, Kenya — Seven fans died in a stampede Saturday while trying to enter a stadium where a football match between two of Kenya’s most popular teams was being played, the Kenya Red Cross said.
Six people died when they were run over by the crowd outside Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, and one 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.
Jack Oguda, the CEO of the Kenya Premier League, said he did not know why fans couldn’t get into the stadium properly because it wasn’t full.
“A gate was broken into by fans forcing their way into the stadium,” 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.”
