Stampede at Fally Ipupa concert kills 11 in DRC’s capital

Inside minister blamed organisers for the packed live performance headlined by African music star Fally Ipupa in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Congolese singer Fally Ipupa performs throughout his live performance on the overcrowded Martyrs stadium in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, October 29, 2022 [Paul Lorgerie/Reuters]

Eleven folks had been killed in a stampede at a packed live performance headlined by African music star Fally Ipupa on the largest stadium within the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capital, the nation’s inside minister has mentioned.

Inside Minister Daniel Aselo Okito on Sunday blamed the organisers for the deaths, saying the Martyrs’ stadium live performance in Kinshasa “went past 100% capability”.

The stadium was packed past its capability of 80,000 and a number of the crowd ended up forcing their method into the VIP and reserved sections, reporters of Reuters information company on the live performance mentioned.

“Eleven folks lifeless … together with two police,” the minister informed reporters on the stadium, sending condolences to relations of the casualties.

He mentioned he deplored the “lack of human life” and mentioned the organisers “have to be punished”.

Safety forces had earlier fired tear gasoline to disperse violent crowds within the streets outdoors the stadium the place many had gathered earlier than the live performance by Kinshasa-born Ipupa.

The 44-year-old is one in every of Africa’s main musicians whose albums promote worldwide.

Singer-songwriter Ipupa, “like all Congolese singers”, had arrived a number of hours after the present had been scheduled to begin, the company famous.

Spectators on the live performance of Fally Ipupa at Martyrs stadium in Kinshasa [Paul Lorgerie/Reuters]

The eventual variety of attendees contained in the stadium vastly exceeded the variety of state and personal safety personnel current may management.

In 2020, French police evacuated the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris after folks began fires close by in unrest earlier than a deliberate Ipupa live performance.

“It was a stampede,” that precipitated the deaths, a policeman on the scene informed the official Congolese Press Company ACP.

“The music lovers suffocated.”

Kinshasa police chief Common Sylvain Sasongo had earlier informed ACP 9 folks had died, amid reviews the venue had been jammed with folks for the native favorite’s efficiency, with one witness saying “even the corridors” of the stadium had been overflowing.

ACP, which had reporters within the stadium masking the live performance, mentioned police had cordoned off three areas to safe the pitch, the VIP stand and the stage.

“Below the stress of the group, the police couldn't maintain out lengthy,” ACP mentioned.