Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has condemned the violence that marred the FKF Super Cup match between Gor Mahia and Tusker FC at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
The match, which Tusker won 3-1, ended in chaotic scenes after some fans invaded the pitch, with property damaged and the trophy presentation disrupted.
Security officers responded by using tear gas as tensions rose inside the stadium. Videos shared online also showed confrontations involving fans, security officers and journalists who had gone to cover the match.
In a statement, FKF said violence, destruction of property and intimidation had no place in football.
“There is no place for violence, destruction of property, intimidation, or any conduct that puts the safety of players, journalists, officials, fans, security personnel and the public at risk,” FKF said.
The federation’s statement came amid concerns over how security officers handled the situation.
Among the allegations being raised is that the first tear gas canister was fired into a crowd of supporters, an action witnesses said escalated the confrontation between fans and security officers.
There are also allegations that an officer fired what was described as a rubber bullet at a fan, while another officer was allegedly seen pursuing supporters while armed with a firearm.
The circumstances surrounding those incidents have not yet been established.
Journalists caught up in chaos
Journalists covering the match were also caught up in the confrontation.
There were reports that some security officers tried to force journalists to delete videos and other footage recorded during the incident.
One video circulating online appears to show an officer slapping a journalist and football personality after he intervened when some of his colleagues were confronted by security officers.
There were also claims surrounding the alleged assault of a female supporter during the chaos. A video and witness account circulating online alleged that an officer kicked the woman around the neck area.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
FKF said it was concerned about the conduct of security officers but also stressed that security teams have a responsibility to maintain order during matches.
The federation said crowd-control measures should, however, be carried out with restraint, professionalism and in accordance with the law.
FKF to review footage
FKF said it will review footage from the match, reports from match officials and information from other stakeholders before determining what happened and who should be held responsible.
“We will review available match footage, reports from match officials and information from other stakeholders to establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents and determine responsibility,” FKF President Hussein Mohamed said.
The federation said accountability would apply to everyone involved in the incident, including fans, club officials, stewards and security officers.
Anyone found to have violated FKF regulations or the law will face appropriate action through due process, the federation said.
The scenes at Nyayo have once again raised concerns about crowd management at Kenyan football matches and the safety of both supporters and journalists.
FKF’s planned review will now be closely watched, particularly over whether it addresses both the behaviour of supporters and the allegations of excessive force by security officers.