The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has issued a hefty fine of Ksh 2.5 million to the country for serious security breaches during the opening game of the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN). Nicholas Musonye, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Chairman, has publicly addressed the matter, revealing a litany of failures that led to the penalty and calling on fans to take more responsibility for their conduct.
The fine was a direct result of violent scenes witnessed during the Harambee Stars’ 1-0 victory over DR Congo at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, last Sunday. According to the CAF Security Officer's report, the violations were extensive and deemed to be in breach of Articles 82 and 83 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. These included a stampede at Gate 11, unauthorized individuals entering restricted areas, fans starting fires, and even a motorcycle driving wildly through the crowd.
Musonye was quick to clarify that a key issue was the "delay in deployment" of security personnel. He explained that a delay in opening the gates with inadequate staff would have resulted in chaos, and praised the Interior Ministry and Principal Secretary for stepping up security measures for subsequent matches. "Today, the deployment was quite earlier," he noted, highlighting that security was being deployed hours before the game started to prevent the congestion and disorder that plagued the first match.
The fine was broken down into specific penalties: Ksh 644,500 for the stampede and unauthorized entry, a further Ksh 1,289,000 for the obstruction and assault of CAF officials, and a warning for the fires. An additional Ksh 644,500 was also levied for past infractions, with half of that amount suspended pending future conduct.
In a plea to the fans, Musonye emphasized the importance of discipline. He explicitly cautioned against bringing prohibited items such as "vuvuzelas, whistles, drums, and traditional instruments" to the stadium, pointing out that these items contributed to the fines. He urged fans to be "well-mannered and observe the rules," stressing that "through bad manners, we may lose next encounters."
