The 'Occupy' culture: How Nairobi concerts got disrupted by unwelcomed revelers

To these event organisers, booking some of the most bankable names in the world of entertainment was the perfect way to roll in dough - they knew that Kenyans have a yearning for world class concerts and they were willing to break the bank to make that happen.

Despite ensuring that they had taken all measures to pull off exceptional shows, pull large crowds and maximise on their profits, these organisers seemed to forget one little, pesky issue - the wave of anti-government psyche engulfing the nation and how it would eventually sabotage their near-perfect plans.

As had been evidenced before, especially during the height of the Gen Z uprisings, Kenyans had formed a unique - and widely popular - habit of shouting down the government and chanting anti-Ruto slogans in between their night-out revelries. 

It started around June 2024 when Kenyans would, at the stroke of midnight, break into a synchronised "Ruto Must Go!" chant. For some odd minutes, that chant would dominate the business of every nightclub and with the ultimate blessing of not just the establishment's owner but the DJ of the day too.

As months went by and the anti-government mood continued to permeate every sphere of Kenyan life, it was only reasonable to extend the chants to more and more venues - the bigger, the more crowded, the better. The "Occupy" mantra was also born.

Soon enough, event organisers were staring at a growing nightmare; people would happily buy tickets but with the sole aim of making an anti-government statement, while still enjoying the show.

Now, as a performer pranced on stage, doing their best to deliver a knockout performance and thrill the crowds, some groups would sporadically break into "Ruto Must Go" chants, eventually affecting the entire venue and causing a ripple effect which would now turn into a resounding choir, ultimately drowning the stage performer and throwing the concert into an uncertain limbo.

What began as a viral chant, to be shared on Tiktok and Instagram stories, would then morphe into a catastrophic explosion for Nairobi's event organisers, many who would now stare into losses as the trend took a life of its own and even invited unwanted participants.

At the Walker Town concert for instance, thousands of fans jammed the gates at Kasarani, without tickets or even money to purchase one but with the sole intention of 'occupying' the event and turning it into a rowdy spectacle.

What had already been meticulously planned for months was quickly reduced to a chaotic ball of recklessness, disorder, lawlessness and hooliganism as young Kenyans flipped the script and took charge of an event they had no involvement in planning, whatsoever.

The same thuggery would be witnessed at Swazi DJ Uncle Waffles' concert at the ASK Dome along Ngong Road, Nairobi, where it was alleged that fans jammed the gates demanding to be allowed in for free - this is despite the event already grappling with its own internal issues which included poor sound quality and harassment from the organisers.

Left with no choice, police swarm in and flooded the venue with tear gas, causing a messy stampede that would eventually push the main act off the stage and see the clumsy collapse of the show.

"The safety and wellbeing of people who come out to support me and this genre is my top priority, and I could not play my set any longer while people were visibly uncomfortable and at risk of getting hurt," Uncle Waffles wrote on X.

Teargas would come in handy just three weeks later after unruly fans threatened to thwart the December 31 Raha Fest concert featuring Jamaican dancehall star Shensea.

Just minutes after the "Hit And Run" hitmaker hit the stage, thousands of lawless fans forced themselves into the arena, bearing no tickets but a firm conviction - Occupy, Occupy, Occupy.

As the madness unfolded, and the venue lost all order and control, Shensea was forced to cut shirt her set as she was hurriedly walked off stage - and then, again, tear gas was deployed, leaving thousands scampering for safety, coughing their way out and battling with itchy eyeballs.

On X, a dismayed Shensea simply wrote: "Now Kenya! I'm a lil mad at ya'll, ngl!"

Raha Fest, the company behind the Shensea concert, did not hide their feelings, expressing their utter dismay and even vowing to totally vacate the Kenyan entertainment scene for good.

In a terse response, they wrote: "We write this, admitting that Raha Fest of 31st December 2024 might be our last event in Kenya...As has become customary in recent times, we have observed a growing trend of some Kenyans exhibiting unhealthy and deeply worrying entitlement towards events."

"They believe they should not buy tickets to events and are entitled and deliberately willing to “occupy” events. This trend is disappointing, regretful, and retrogressive."

They added, "This behaviour poses immense danger for all, especially people who have spent their hard-earned money to pay for these events. This entitlement poses immense danger to the artists, who must perform in a safe and secure environment. This entitlement poses immense danger to organizers, security personnel, vendors, sponsors, and investors, to name a few..."

Many, in agreement with Raha Fest, also chimed in, castigating the trend and appealing for order.

"You cannot invade other people's business in the name of attacking the government. Things are tough for all of us. This sort of impunity is the same one displayed by our leaders. What makes you any different from them? Occupying events is basically vandalism of a business! You're a criminal! Not a protester!" Ruth Mungai wrote on X.

But other people saw it all differently. One such character opined, "Kenya is under reconstruction. You cannot purport to be having fun while the country is undergoing a rebirth. We are fixing the nation first. Your concerts can wait!"

All in all, the trend might appear cute on paper - and even viral when posted on Tiktok. But eventually, there are vendors, sponsors, organizers and investors involved and they all have to take some coins home and continue supporting their families.

As things stand, that objective is obviously unattainable if everyone has to violently throw themselves into someone's business space.

As one X User said, "If you cannot afford a ticket, stay home and enjoy the show from your friends' Instagram stories. You are supposed to be mad at Ruto. Not at an innocent Sean Paul fan!"