“I Can’t Breathe”: Citizen TV’s Immanuel Ndungu Recounts Tragic Asake Concert Chaos

Last weekend, thousands of music fans gathered at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi for Nigerian superstar Asake’s Mr. Money African Tour concert — one of the most anticipated performances of the year.

While the show ultimately went ahead and packed the venue with excited concert‑goers, the night was overshadowed by chaos at the stadium gates and a serious crowd incident that has since sparked widespread concern and debate. 

Chaos at the Entrance

According to Citizen TV news presenter Immanuel Ndungu, who was among those attending the concert, the trouble began well before the main performance.

Fans reportedly waited in long, tightly packed lines to enter the stadium, where organisers had divided security checks into separate queues for men and women.

However, the system quickly broke down as more people arrived and the crowd grew denser. 

“It was no longer two orderly lines anymore because people started trying to push in and make new lines. It was a big mob lining up outside the gate,” Ndungu said, describing how the situation deteriorated.

“This is the moment I started hearing way more screams… people saying, ‘I can’t breathe,’ screaming in panic.”

Security reportedly paused entry for about 30 minutes, and attempts by stewards to allow small groups through at a time did little to ease congestion.

At one point, pressure from the crowd caused part of a gate to collapse, enabling concert‑goers to push inside.

Ndungu noted that this appeared to be a desperate response by people who had purchased tickets and were anxious to get in. 

Stampede Reports and Emergency Response

Multiple news outlets report that the chaotic entry escalated into a stampede outside the stadium, with alleged reports of one woman dying after being rushed to the hospital, and dozens of others injured and taken to various medical facilities.

Police confirmed the fatality and said injured attendees were in stable condition at separate hospitals, while investigations into the incident were underway. 

One eyewitness who spoke to another news outlet described frustration before entry: fans reportedly arrived as early as 6 pm but waited hours in growing rain before gaining access, with little information about delays or entry procedures.

“The crowd had grown impatient, and no one explained why the gate was not opening,” the source said.

Online reactions from attendees also painted a picture of disorganisation, with some describing lack of clear crowd control, long waits, and confusion at the gates as contributing factors in the unrest.

Concert Goes On Amid Difficult Conditions

Despite the turmoil at the gates, Asake’s performance reportedly continued once fans were inside.

Social media posts captured moments of the Nigerian artist performing hits like “Lonely At The Top,” “Remember,” “PBUY” and “MMS” to a largely full stadium, with fans singing and dancing along even as concerns about the earlier chaos lingered.

Videos shared online showed fans lighting up the venue with their phones and cheering, and some observers expressed that, once inside, the atmosphere inside the performance area was much more controlled.

Others, however, highlighted ongoing issues with organisation — including the long delay between the scheduled start time and Asake actually appearing onstage, reportedly around 1:00 am — and the withdrawal of some local artists from the lineup hours before the show. 

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Calls for Better Event Planning

In the wake of the incident, many music fans and commentators online have called for improved crowd management and safety protocols at large events in Kenya. 

Authorities, including Nairobi police leadership, said they are continuing to look into the stampede and the circumstances that led up to it. As of publication, organisers of the concert have not released an official statement about the incident or the fatality reported.