At least seven individuals lost their lives and many others sustained injuries during a stampede at a music concert in Congo’s capital on Saturday, July 27, 2024, according to authorities.
The incident took place at the 80,000-capacity Stade des Martyrs in the heart of Kinshasa, where popular Congolese gospel singer Mike Kalambayi was performing, as reported by Kinshasa Governor Daniel Bumba.
State television RTNC confirmed that seven people were killed in the chaos, and some of the injured were admitted to intensive care.
Authorities have not commented on the cause of the stampede, noting that an investigation into the incident is ongoing. However, the local music management company that organized the event, Maajabu Gospel, stated that the chaos erupted when “the security services tried to neutralize some troublemakers.”
An estimated 30,000 people attended the concert, which also featured several other musicians and pastors, according to Maajabu Gospel.
Videos purportedly from the scene and broadcast of the event showed large crowds gathered outside the stadium in front of barricades, waiting to enter. Inside the stadium, people could be seen rushing toward the center stage.
Congo has experienced similar incidents in the past, often attributed to inadequate crowd control measures, such as the excessive use of force. Eleven people died in a similar crush at the same stadium last October during a music concert.
(AP)
