Families of victims still waiting for justice four years later

A Kenyan police investigator walks past the spot where five people were killed in a stampede at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on October 24, 2010. Four years down the line, report from a Government inquest into the deaths is yet to be fully implemented. A case for compensation is also still pending in court, with parties to the dispute engaging in blame game. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • But four years down the line, report from a Government inquest into the deaths is yet to be fully implemented.
  • The stampede was caused by hundreds of impatient fans who pulled down the gate to enter the match venue minutes after the match had kicked off at 7pm.

It is four years today since five football fans were trampled to death at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.

The five - David Ochieng’ Oundo, Victor Juma Okoth, Winnie Karimi Kinyua, Frankline Onimu Kiribwa and Stephen Ochieng’ Onyango - met their death at Nyayo Stadium’s Gate Two while awaiting clearance to access the venue to watch a Kenyan Premier League match involving two of Kenya’s biggest clubs AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia.

But four years down the line, report from a Government inquest into the deaths is yet to be fully implemented. A case for compensation is also still pending in court, with parties to the dispute engaging in blame game.

Even more worrying is that no concrete measures have been put in place to avoid a repeat of a similar incident.

The stampede was caused by hundreds of impatient fans who pulled down the gate to enter the match venue minutes after the match had kicked off at 7pm. Soon, the skies opened and impatient fans started pulling down the gates.

Reports also suggested some fans with no match tickets orchestrated the commotion in order to gain free entry into the stadium. 

SEVERAL INJURED
Scores of fans were treated at the venue by medical agencies, while many others whose clothes were soaked in blood were rushed to hospitals in Nairobi for emergency medical attention. The incident attracted attention from all over the world.

KPL CEO Jack Oguda while extending his sympathies to the families which lost their loved ones in the incident, said the league body has taken steps to ensure safety of fans in stadiums.

“We have completely changed the mode of managing our gates. Tight security is now maintained at every match entry point. KPL has also reached out to experts, including (UK-based security firm) SGSA, who have trained us on crowd management and safety. At the moment, all the KPL clubs have a safety security officer and stewards who continue to undergo specialized training,” Oguda said.

“There are still challenges, especially on the infrastructural front. It still seems easy for fans to access the main pitch from terraces which is a worrying factor,’ he said.

A Government inquiry commissioned by then Prime Minister Raila Odinga to establish the cause of the tragedy later cited negligence as the main cause of the deaths. But the findings are yet to be fully implemented.

STADIUM IS SAFE
Meanwhile, families of the victims have since sued a number of stakeholders in football, among them the Kenya Premier League, for compensation. The case is still pending in court.

Rakki Asman, public relations officer of Sports Kenya (Formerly Sports Stadia Management Board), says both Nyayo Stadium and Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani, are much safer now, thanks to measures put in place by the management.

Among the measures Asman said have been put in place include opening of more entry points at the stadiums to avoid congestion and a ban on sale of match-day tickets in stadiums.

Others are deployment of more police officers and marshals to manage crowds and installation of CCTV cameras to monitor movement and behaviour of fans.

But safety of fans in stadiums is still at risk. Six separate incidents have been reported this season alone, the latest coming on Monday when AFC Leopards fans clashed with police during GOtv Shield semi-final match against Sofapaka, leaving scores injured.