All non-sporting activities will be suspended until further notice at sports venues in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following a tragic stampede that killed at least nine people during a concert at Stade des Martyrs, Deputy Prime Minister for Interior Jacquemain Shabani announced on Sunday.
Stade des Martyrs and Stade de Tata Raphael, both located in Kinshasa, are included in this suspension, Shabani stated after a crisis meeting held on Sunday. The stampede occurred during musician Mike Kalambayi’s concert at Stade des Martyrs, resulting in the deaths of at least nine individuals, including a pregnant woman and children.
“Our top priority is the safety of our citizens. We cannot allow events that put lives at risk. All non-sporting activities are temporarily suspended, and organizers will need to find safer venues for their events,” Shabani emphasized.
The decision, made during a crisis meeting attended by five other ministers, the governor of Kinshasa, and musician Mike Kalambayi, has led to the cancellation of several concerts and cultural activities in the coming days.
Roger Kamba, the Minister of Health, commented on the incident, saying, “The victims were suffocated. It happened very quickly, and they were already dead upon arrival at the hospital.” Kamba noted that his ministry was not involved in organizing the event, highlighting a critical flaw in the organization that needs to be addressed.
Stade des Martyrs, with a capacity of 80,000 seats and considered the largest stadium in the country, is a popular venue for concerts, cultural events, and political meetings. Security sources reported that the stadium was over capacity at the time of the incident.
Kinshasa Governor Daniel Bumba announced an investigation into the incident, mentioning “overflows” that “led to deaths” in a statement released on Saturday evening.
This tragic event follows a similar incident in October 2022, when 11 people, including two police officers, died in a stampede at a concert by Congolese musician Fally Ipupa at Stade des Martyrs. Local media reported that the concert drew more than 120,000 attendees.
