Kenya’s moment of pride hosting the African Nations Championship (CHAN) is now under serious threat due to glaring security loopholes that have drawn sharp criticism from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The continental football body has flagged multiple breaches that not only jeopardise the safety of fans and officials, but also risk Kenya losing its right to host key matches, with the possibility of future games being relocated to neighbouring Tanzania or Uganda.
CAF’s concerns come after a series of incidents that exposed poor crowd control and security management at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nairobi, where Kenya hosts its home games.
During the Harambee Stars’ match against Morocco on Sunday, uncontrolled entry of fans without valid tickets led to chaos both inside and outside the stadium, drawing the wrath of the football governing body. This came just days after earlier warnings and a Sh2.5 million fine imposed on Kenya for similar lapses during the opening match against the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 3.
In a statement on Monday, CAF highlighted how “fans without tickets, and those with government-issued paper tickets, overran gates and breached perimeter fences.” The report also pointed out the failure of crowd control beyond the stadium, noting problems at the Ngomongo roundabout where “crowd control failed … and led to uncontrolled entry into the sports centre.”
The situation escalated with police deploying tear gas and flash grenades, and there were reports of “live ammunition being fired near spectators.” Other incidents cited included “stone-throwing at security personnel, unsafe vehicle movement within spectator areas, and a lack of adequate police intervention and medical incident reporting.”
In response, CAF has enforced a strict cap of 27,000 spectators for upcoming home games—reducing Kasarani’s capacity to 60 percent—and mandated that only electronic tickets will be valid for entry. Thermal paper tickets have been banned to prevent further breaches. “Entry is strictly limited to electronic ticket holders; thermal tickets are prohibited,” the statement emphasised.
CAF also urged the Local Organizing Committee and government to “launch a public media campaign reinforcing safety protocols and entry requirements” to avert security lapses in the future.
Meanwhile, the continental body has warned that any failure to comply with these measures “could lead to harsher penalties, including moving future matches to either Tanzania or Uganda.”
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