NAIROBI, Kenya: Seven fans died in a stampede Saturday while trying to enter a stadium where a football match between two of Kenya's most popular teams was being played, the Kenya Red Cross said. Six people died when they were run over by the crowd outside Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, and one died after being taken to Kenyatta National Hospital, said Red Cross spokesman Titus Mungo'u. Jack Oguda, the CEO of the Kenya Premier League, said he did not know why fans couldn't get into the stadium properly because it wasn't full. “A gate was broken into by fans forcing their way into the stadium,” Oguda said. “Access was limited and they got agitated, and that's why they forced their way in. We'll start an inquiry into the matter to establish why fans could not access the stadium,” Oguda added. Zedekiah Otieno, the coach of Gor Mahia, which beat the AFC Leopards 1-0 in the game, said: “Management should ensure that gates are open on time to avoid a mad rush to the stadium during games of this magnitude.” – Agence France
