While the Kenya Harambee Stars have been performing admirably in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), leading Group A with seven points from three games, their off-field issues have drawn significant criticism from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). On Monday, CAF issued a stern statement addressing the repeated breaches of regulations, particularly concerning crowd access and control at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Kenya faced warnings and a suspended fine from CAF after incidents of fans without tickets breaking into the stadium during their first two matches—against DR Congo and Angola. Despite these warnings, the same issues recurred in their last home match against Morocco, where unauthorized fans entered the venue, exacerbating concerns over security and crowd management.
CAF's statement outlined several lapses that highlighted the severity of the situation, including:
- Unauthorized fans overrunning stadium gates.
- Initial crowd control failures at Ngomongo roundabout.
- The use of teargas and flash grenades, causing panic among spectators.
- Stone-throwing incidents directed at security personnel.
In response, CAF has imposed immediate measures for upcoming fixtures at Kasarani involving the host nation. A notable decision is the restriction of stadium capacity, reducing it from 60,000 to 27,000 fans for the next games. Additionally, CAF will only allow electronic ticket holders into the stadium, prohibiting the use of thermal tickets.
The CHAN 2024 Local Organizing Committee and the Kenyan government have been tasked with launching a public media campaign to educate the public on the new safety controls and entry requirements. This initiative aims to ensure smoother operations and enhance safety during future matches.
Kenya is set to play their final group game on Sunday against Zambia. A draw or victory would secure the Harambee Stars a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
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