Govt urged to allow fans back into stadiums

AFC Leopards and Kakamega Homeboyz fans have pleaded with the Government to speed up plans for fans to return to stadiums amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the current ban on spectators at sports events in line with guidelines to help contain the coronavirus, fans continue to crowd around venues with some attempting to force entry.

Last month, the Government indicated it would allow a limited number of fans into the Nyayo National Stadium for Gor Mahia FC’s CAF Confederation Cup playoff match against NAPSA Stars before reversing that decision.

The Ministry of Sports maintains sports stakeholders have not demonstrated that fans can be allowed to safely return back into grounds as it continues to place such a decision on hold.

Some fans have faulted the Government for double standards as political rallies to continue to attract huge crowds across the country with no sanctions imposed on those going against safety regulations.

“BBI (Building Bridges Initiative) rallies are attracting huge crowds”, one fan said while another one added with an aim of sending a message to those in authority,

“Have you gone to Matungu now? Matungu is full of people in political rallies and yet just a football match they cannot allow us to watch what we like!

In Kakamega on Sunday, the entire VIP stand was full to capacity with Homeboyz and Leopards fans cheering and jeering depending on the proceedings on the field of play.

Their entry being credited to the force some of them used while others were allowed after gate negotiations from influential people.

All sporting activities were suspended in March last year following the first coronavirus case announcement in the country and since then some sporting activities have been allowed back but without fans.

This has given security officers rough time to stop fans from football matches especially the heavyweight clashes.