Kenyan fans seeking to watch Harambee Stars play Zambia at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Sunday will need to be at the Kasarani Stadium 5 hours before kickoff, the organising committee has said.
The Local Organising Committee on Tuesday, August 12, advised Kenyans to arrive well ahead of the kick-off time with their e-tickets ready on their mobile phones for quick verification.
The decision follows chaos witnessed on Sunday, August 10, that resulted in some fans gaining entry to the stadium without tickets. The Committee further advised fans to purchase match tickets only from the authorised online vendor. E-tickets would be the only valid form of entry, and not printed versions.
The Committee, headed by Nicholas Musonye, also urged spectators to follow all security guidelines and instructions from event officials at all times.
"Despite the unprecedented success on and off the field of play, we must address recent unfortunate incidents of crowd trouble that were seen in some of the matches at the Kasarani Stadium," the statement read.
"To ensure the safety of all attendees and the smooth running and success of the tournament, you are encouraged to arrive at the stadium on Match Day at least five hours before kick-off, purchase match tickets only from the authorised online vendor and follow all security guidelines and instructions at all times," it further directed.
As per Musonye, the measures would ensure the safety of all attendees and the smooth running and success of the tournament.
The chaotic scenes on Sunday resulted in infrastructural damage at the recently renovated Moi International Sports Centre, triggering a raft of sanctions from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Notably, CAF imposed a capacity restriction at Kasarani, directing the ticket vendor to sell only 27,000 tickets, which is 60 per cent of the stadium's capacity.
It also directed that entry be limited to e-ticket holders and instructed the LOC and government to launch a public media campaign reinforcing safety protocols and entry requirements.
Failure to abide by the directives would result in more serious sanctions, such as the consideration of alternative venues for future matches to be hosted in Kenya.
Meanwhile, the Committee also disclosed that plans were underway to set up 'Official Fan Zones' where supporters could gather and watch the national team's final group game against Zambia on Sunday, August 17.
"Details of these exciting Fan Zones will be shared shortly. Let us work together to ensure that Kenya continues to host major tournaments and showcase our passion for the game in the right way," the Committee noted.
