A Kenyan woman, Karen Lojore, has reportedly died following a stampede at Nigerian singer Asake’s concert held on Saturday at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi.
The incident occurred during the event, which attracted thousands of fans, after congestion reportedly developed at the stadium’s entry points.
Kenyan media outlet Ghetto Radio attributed the chaos to poor ticketing and crowd-control arrangements, which led to overcrowding outside the venue.
Eyewitnesses alleged that stewards were slow in allowing concertgoers into the stadium, causing large crowds to build up. Attempts by security operatives to restore order reportedly escalated tensions, triggering panic as people began to run, with some shouting that they could not breathe.
Following the incident, Kenyan group Kodong Clan announced its withdrawal from the concert, citing disrespect and poor treatment by the event organisers.
Friends and acquaintances of the deceased took to social media to mourn her, expressing shock that she lost her life despite having a valid ticket, which was expected to guarantee safe access to the event.
“One of my friends just lost her friend at the Asake concert. She was caught in the stampede and sadly died, even though she had a ticket. My heart breaks,” a social media user wrote.
Poet and activist Willie Oeba also confirmed the death in a separate post, describing the incident as tragic and avoidable.
“Karen passed on last night due to the stampede at the Nyayo Stadium Asake concert. It is heartbreaking to die in such a manner. Rest in peace,” he said.
The incident has drawn comparisons to a previous tragedy at Asake’s London concert on December 15, 2022, at the O2 Brixton Academy, where a crowd crush resulted in two deaths and multiple critical injuries.
