Musonye urges early ticketing after CHAN crowd scare
By Kiprono Keileb, August 4, 2025Nicholas Musonye, the Chair of the Local Organising Committee for CHAN Kenya, has warned football fans against last-minute ticket purchases, following what he described as a near crowd disaster during yesterday’s CHAN match.
Speaking on a local television talk show on Monday, August 4, 2025, Musonye noted that despite Kenya’s impressive win, the late arrival of fans at the stadium, particularly from Mwiki and Korogocho areas, created security concerns at entry points.
“We gave clear instructions last week to Kenyans that they should buy tickets much earlier to avoid the last-minute rush. That’s why yesterday we perhaps did not have much stampede like before,” Musonye said.
He emphasised the importance of early planning, urging fans to prioritise safety and order before anything else.
“Buy your tickets early, settle down, come to the stadium early, go home comfortably,” he stated.
Musonye expressed concern over the crowd buildup, revealing that the organisers feared a potential tragedy due to fans arriving late and in large numbers, making it hard to control the entry points.
“Yesterday, fans came in late, especially on the side of the Mwiki and Korokocho area. We were so worried that the lateness would pile people around the entry points,” he added.
While the situation was ultimately controlled, Musonye warned that such congestion can easily escalate into a catastrophe. He credited divine intervention for the lack of casualties during the event.
“God loves Kenya. We never die in the stadium because in other areas where, when people pile about 10,000 people, you find two or more people dead, but God loves Kenya; in most cases, we don’t perish in those cases. We can destroy those barriers, but we don’t die,” Musonye said.
The CHAN tournament, jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, has attracted massive crowds, particularly in Kenya. Organisers are now calling for enhanced crowd control measures and greater fan cooperation, particularly by encouraging spectators to arrive early to reduce congestion at entry points and ensure order and safety for all.
Musonye concluded by urging football lovers to be part of the solution by adhering to ticketing guidelines and arriving early for matches.