By Tapiwa Chawagarira
The government has pledged to strengthen crowd management and security measures at sporting venues following the death of a football fan during Monday night’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
The commitment was made by Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister Lieutenant-General (Rtd) Anselem Sanyatwe in a condolence statement issued on Wednesday, as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed that one person died during a stampede at Gate Two at around 6:30 p.m., shortly after the Zimbabwe-DRC match had started. Police said the incident involved a public-order vehicle and a pedestrian, and that comprehensive investigations were underway to establish exactly what transpired.
Minister Sanyatwe said the government had learned that the incident followed an attempt by some fans to gain entry through unauthorized means after a gate was broken down, resulting in efforts to disperse the crowd.
“It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I learnt of the unfortunate and untimely passing on of a passionate football fan,” said Minister Sanyatwe.
“On behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, the entire sporting fraternity and on my own behalf, I wish to convey our deepest and most sincere condolences to the bereaved family, relatives, friends, and the entire Warriors family.”
The minister also confirmed that some supporters sustained injuries during the incident and wished them a speedy recovery.
He said the government was working with the ZRP, the Sports and Recreation Commission, and the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to ensure that the incident was fully investigated.
“Our objective is clear: to establish the facts and to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated in any of our sporting venues,” Minister Sanyatwe said.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over what had been an eagerly anticipated return of the Warriors to the National Sports Stadium for a major international fixture.
Zimbabwe had returned to the refurbished venue for the first time in a competitive international after a lengthy period during which the stadium had been unavailable for international football. The match attracted a large crowd, with ZIFA’s official ticketing platform listing the fixture for a 6 p.m. kick-off and tickets being sold ahead of the encounter.
The Warriors ultimately lost the match 2-1 to the Leopards, with Yoane Wissa and Samuel Moutoussamy scoring for the visitors before Marshall Munetsi pulled one back for Zimbabwe late in the match.
However, events outside the playing field quickly overshadowed the result.
Reports from the scene indicated that large numbers of supporters experienced congestion at the stadium entrances, particularly around Gate Two. While several accounts have described the incident as involving a police water cannon or crowd-control vehicle, the official police statement has so far referred only to a police public-order vehicle and has not conclusively established the precise sequence of events leading to the death.
The police have promised a detailed statement once investigations have established what happened.
Minister Sanyatwe said the government would consequently review and strengthen crowd management protocols, access control measures, and emergency response systems at sporting facilities.
“The safety and security of fans, players, and officials at all sporting events remains a top priority for the government,” he said.
The minister further announced that government processes were already underway to ensure that the deceased Warriors supporter receives a decent burial.
The latest incident has also revived memories of previous crowd tragedies at the National Sports Stadium, including the 2000 disaster in which 13 football fans died during a World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Another supporter, Egna Nyamadzawo, died during a 2019 stampede at the venue.
With investigations now underway, authorities are expected to establish the sequence of events at Gate Two, the effectiveness of access-control arrangements, and the crowd-management measures deployed on the night.
