On Saturday, July 27, 2024, a stampede at a music concert in Kinshasa, the capital city of Congo, led to the death of nine people, including a 10-year-old child and at least two women. Numerous others were injured during the incident.
The unfortunate event took place at the Stade des Martyrs stadium which holds around 80,000 people and was the venue for a concert by Mike Kalambayi, an acclaimed Congolese gospel singer. The number of casualties and injuries were confirmed by Kinshasa Governor Daniel Bumba and DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba. Some of the injured were admitted to intensive care units.
The concert was organized by local music management company Maajabu Gospel and attracted an estimated crowd of 30,000. The event featured numerous musicians and pastors, drawing a large crowd. The stampede erupted amidst the excitement, with videos from the scene showing a large crowd outside the stadium, waiting to enter, and people rushing towards the center stage inside the stadium.
The exact cause of the stampede is yet to be confirmed by the authorities who have stated that an investigation has started. According to Maajabu Gospel, the disruption started when officers attempted to control some individuals causing disturbance. There were around 2,000 police officers present at the venue, raising questions regarding the effectiveness of the crowd control measures in place.
This incident underscores the continuous problem of poor crowd control at large gatherings in Congo. In October of the previous year, 11 individuals lost their lives at the same stadium during another music concert.
Governor Bumba conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families and assured a thorough investigation into the incident. He attributed the deaths to “overflows and crowd movements” at the stadium.
In their statement, Maajabu Gospel emphasized the importance of improved security protocols to prevent such incidents. “It is with deep sadness that we learned of the deaths of our compatriots who lost their lives, while the security services were trying to neutralize some troublemakers,” they said.
The concert was intended to be a celebration, uniting music enthusiasts and religious leaders for entertainment and spiritual upliftment. The event’s headliner, Mike Kalambayi, is renowned for his inspirational gospel music and has a significant following in Congo. His highly anticipated performance and the large turnout are testament to his popularity.
As the investigation into the incident continues, calls for stricter regulations and improved planning for large events are being made. Ensuring the safety of attendees must be prioritized to prevent such tragedies in the future.
