At least seven people were killed and numerous others injured in a stampede during a music concert in the capital, Kinshasa, on Saturday, according to authorities.
The incident occurred at the Stade des Martyrs stadium, which has an 80,000-seat capacity, during a performance by popular Congolese gospel singer Mike Kalambayi, said Kinshasa Governor Daniel Bumba.
State television RTNC reported that seven people died and some of the injured were admitted to intensive care. The cause of the stampede is under investigation. The local music management company that organized the event, Maajabu Gospel, stated that the chaos began when “security services tried to neutralize some troublemakers.”
The concert, attended by an estimated 30,000 people, also featured several other musicians and pastors, according to Maajabu Gospel.
Videos from the scene showed large crowds outside the stadium waiting to enter and people rushing toward the stage once inside.
Congo has experienced similar stampedes in the past, often attributed to inadequate crowd control measures. Last October, eleven people died in a similar incident at the same stadium during a concert.
