The pain of losing loved ones turned into anger towards local football administrators following a stampede at the Nyayo National Stadium that left seven people dead.
Survivors, relatives and friends of those who lost their lives
and football fans blamed the management of the game for the tragedy.
They
are pointing accusing fingers at Football Kenya Ltd, Kenya Premier
League Ltd and the Stadia Management Board for inefficiency. Ticketing
firm, Ticketmasters, too came in for blame in the mayhem that also left
scores injured.
Take responsibility
“This
was not the first time we were having crowd trouble at the same venue.
These people never learn and I believe it’s their joy to see Kenyans
die,” Charles Omondi, who lost a friend, David Ochieng, in the stampede,
told the Nation on Sunday in Gatwekera.
Ms Larisa
Otieno, a sister to Victor Juma who died in the stampede said the three
institutions should take responsibility for the deaths.
“I
am so mad with the organisation of the stadiums. Why did they have to
close the gates when fans were getting in?” posed an angry Larisa.
Among
the survivors, artiste Newton Otieno who goes by the stage name Montana
was recuperating at Guru Nanak Ramgarhia Sikh Hospital after sustaining
a fracture of the right leg.
He disputed the FKL official’s stand that fans who were outside at the time did not have match tickets.
“People
got rowdy when it started pouring. It is not true that they lacked
tickets,” he said. He says agitated fans then began pulling one of the
gates down.
As the pushing continued with match
organisers, and the few police officers at hand taking little notice,
Montana recounts that he stumbled and all of a sudden, the entire crowd
came tumbling on him.
“People were screaming for help, which was not forthcoming. It was a sight to forget,” he told the Nation from his hospital bed on Sunday.
He
was pulled out but he had broken his right leg. On the way to hospital,
he remembers watching another victim, Victor Juma, die.
“I
watched in pain as someone died in the ambulance that was ferrying us
to hospital,” Montana told said. Montana is scheduled to go for surgery
on Monday.
Another survivor, Fred Owino who resides in
Mukuru kwa Njenga slums also confirmed claims that the organisers had
only left Gate 2 open for the multitude to use.
Owino
sustained back and leg injuries and was taken to Mbagathi Hospital where
he was treated and discharged. His cousin sustained a dislocated left
arm.
Former AFC and Kenya goalkeeper Matthew Ottomax who invaded the pitch to have the match stopped
over the stampede called on football administrators and the government
to come up with a lasting solution to safeguard fans during matches.
For
his efforts, he earned a beating from security personnel who led him to
a confinement in the match officials’ dressing room at the Nyayo
stadium.