Stampede at DR Congo gospel concert kills nine people, injures dozens

I In a devastating turn of events, a gospel concert in the Democratic Republic of Congo turned into a scene of chaos and tragedy. At least nine people lost their lives and many others were injured during the live performance held at the Martyrs Stadium in the capital city of Kinshasa.

The concert, featuring renowned gospel singer and pastor Mike Kalambay, was attended by a massive crowd in the 80,000-seater stadium. However, pictures captured from the event revealed alarming scenes of overcrowding, raising concerns about the safety and security measures in place.

Among the victims of this horrific incident was a 10-year-old child, as reported by local media. The governor of Kinshasa, Daniel Bumba, expressed his deep sorrow and attributed the disaster to "excesses and crowd movements."

In response to the tragedy, DR Congo's justice minister has initiated an investigation, with a focus on the police officers present at the concert and the event organizer, Maajabu Gospel. The authorities aim to determine the causes of the stampede and hold accountable those responsible for any negligence or misconduct.

Maajabu Gospel, in a statement issued after the concert, expressed profound sadness over the loss of lives. The organization pointed fingers at "troublemakers" and emphasized that approximately 2,000 police officers were deployed at the event to maintain order.

Contrary to the claims made by the organizers, who asserted that the concert had an attendance of around 30,000 people, the scale of the tragedy suggests that the venue was significantly overcrowded. As a result, the Martyrs Stadium has been indefinitely closed, pending further investigations and safety assessments.

The stadium, known as one of Africa's largest and most prominent landmarks, has been a venue for various high-profile events, including music concerts and football matches. It even hosted President Félix Tshisekedi's swearing-in ceremony.

In the wake of the concert stampede, Kinshasa city authorities have called for enhanced security measures and urged event organizers to strictly adhere to safety regulations. The tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of prioritizing crowd management and ensuring the well-being of concert-goers in order to prevent such devastating accidents from occurring in the future.