The just concluded Nyanza Region Secondary Schools Term Two Games in Kisii County ended in a chaotic and controversial manner. What was supposed to be a celebration of talent and sports participation by the youth turned into a hooligan fan show with allegations of age cheating and crowd violence that really dirtied the good name of the event.
Background
History of Disturbances
The history of Nyanza Region games is marred with instances of crowd trouble. The event has over the years suffered incidents of fan misbehaviour and hooliganism. Notable past disruptions include the 2018 boys’ football final, which was moved due to concerns over its crowd size, and the 2022 semi-final match that was marred by an incident of violence against an assistant referee.
2024 Incidents
Initial Disruptions
Chaos marked the beginning of the games on July 10, with unruly fans disrupting the opening match between Agoro Sare Secondary School and Kisumu Day Secondary School. The hostility forced Kisumu Day to abandon the match, which was later rescheduled and played the next morning to a 1-1 draw.
Other Interruptions
Another preliminary contest was between Matutu PAG Secondary School and Sameta Secondary School which also failed to end successfully. The fans burst into the field after a goal was disallowed. This shows a significant challenge with crowd control together with the behavior of fans.
Major Disruption: Semi-Final Chaos
Agoro Sare vs. Matutu Match
The semi-final match between Agoro Sare and Matutu on July 12 at Cardinal Otunga High School ended within the 80th minute due to fan misbehavior. The absence of barriers resulted in uninhibited movement of fans, which added to the mayhem. Tobias Ounga, the Nyanza regional Football Commissioner, termed it as the worst case he had witnessed in his career.
Injuries and Fallout
Matutu head coach Joseph Ongoro and one of his defenders, David Onyango, were injured and rushed to Kisii Referral Hospital. Ongoro decried the attack, calling for improved security in match venues. Agoro Sare lodged a complaint against Matutu, with accusations of fielding over 11 unregistered players in that match, complicating it further.
Reactions and Recommendations
Officials’ Concerns
He also called for improved crowd control and security. According to him, hooliganism marred the whole show of great talents that were on display. Nyanza Regional Director of Education Lawrence Karuntimi called the region a pool of great talent, adding that games should be left to the students and teachers without interference from disruptive fans.