EXPLAINER: Why Kasarani is experiencing security breaches

Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, has been plagued by significant security breaches during the ongoing CHAN 2024 fixtures, compelling the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to intervene with stringent measures.

The latest incidents, notably during Kenya's match against Morocco, highlighted critical lapses in crowd control, ticketing, and safety protocols, raising concerns about spectator safety and the integrity of the tournament.

CAF has identified multiple factors contributing to the “systemic and dangerous” breaches.

Major shortcomings in match-day organisation were evident, including loss of control at entry and exit points, violent clashes between spectators and security staff, and unsafe vehicle movements within spectator areas.

The stadium experienced breaches by fans without valid tickets and those holding government-issued paper tickets who overran gates and climbed over perimeter fences, overwhelming security at exit points.

This chaos was exacerbated by an initial crowd control failure at the Ngomongo roundabout, which allowed uncontrolled entry through multiple gates.

CAF also criticised the local police for ineffective responses despite repeated requests for intervention and noted a lack of communication equipment and absence of CCTV coverage at main entry points, further compromising security.

The security breaches extended to disturbing incidents such as the use of tear gas by police to disperse crowds, reports of live ammunition being fired near spectators and staff, stone-throwing at security personnel, and inadequate medical incident reports following injuries.

These violations, including unsafe movement of vehicles within spectator zones and a thriving ticket resale market selling fake tickets at inflated prices (Sh300 to Sh1,000), culminated in chaotic scenes where some frustrated fans resorted to jumping over the perimeter fence to gain illegal access, leading to near stampede conditions despite a heavy security presence.

In consequence, CAF has imposed strict new directives to avoid further recurrence and to secure upcoming matches at Kasarani.

The confederation limited stadium capacity to a maximum of 60 per cent, effectively capping attendance at 27,000 against the stadium's full capacity of 60,000.

Entry will now be strictly limited to electronic ticket holders only, with thermal-paper tickets completely banned.

“Entry strictly limited to electronic ticket holders; thermal tickets prohibited,” CAF said in a statement.

Additionally, the Local Organising Committee (LOC), alongside the Kenyan government, has been tasked with launching a public media campaign to reinforce safety protocols and clarify entry requirements for fans.

CAF has also issued warnings that failure to comply with these new security measures will lead to severe sanctions, which could include fines, bans on ticket sales, or even relocating upcoming fixtures to different venues.

These actions follow earlier warnings and a Sh2.5 million fine imposed on the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for previous crowd control failures during the tournament opener against the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 3.

Nonetheless, similar breaches occurred during subsequent matches, prompting CAF's decisive intervention to safeguard the championship's continued success and safety.

The repercussions of the security issues have already been felt beyond the pitch. Separate from CAF’s directives, ticket sales for all upcoming CHAN matches at Kasarani have been suspended indefinitely until further notice.

This suspension includes the critical upcoming group match between Kenya and Zambia, scheduled to determine Kenya's fate in the tournament, as well as a quarter-final match slated for the same venue.

The final match of CHAN 2024 is also set to take place at the same venue.

Fans and stakeholders now await clarity on how these matches will proceed under the tightened security framework.

Even President William Ruto, who missed the Kenya versus Morocco fixture, cited security concerns among his reasons for absence, explaining that late arrival could have led to fans storming the stadium, potentially worsening an already volatile situation.

“I was advised that if I arrived late at the venue, people might storm the stadium, and perhaps things would not turn out well,” the President said.

With attention now focused on Kasarani, both CAF and the Kenyan government face growing pressure to ensure that the remaining matches are secure, organised, and worthy of continental football’s growing stature.