Kenya has been fined Sh6.45 million (USD 50,000) by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over security failures during the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier between Kenya and Morocco at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The CAF Disciplinary Board found that Kenya, through the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), failed to meet safety and crowd control standards required for international matches.

In its ruling, the board stated that Kenya was guilty of violating several safety and security regulations.

“The Disciplinary Board found Kenya guilty and imposed a fine of USD 50,000. Kenya was warned that continued failure to meet CAF safety and security requirements may lead to the relocation of Kenya’s National Team matches to an alternative venue,” CAF said in a statement.

The match, which was part of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship qualifiers, exposed major gaps in stadium management.

Among the issues cited were stadium gates being overrun by crowds, some of whom had no tickets, while others were using physical tickets distributed by government officials.

There were also breaches of the perimeter fence, uncontrolled entry through multiple gates, and breakdown of order at key access points such as the Ngomongo roundabout.

Use of tear gas and flash grenades to manage crowds caused further panic, with reports indicating that the situation escalated quickly and posed safety risks to both fans and officials. Loss of control at the exit points made the situation worse, pointing to a lack of effective emergency response.

In response to the incident and the CAF ruling, FKF President Hussein Mohammed urged fans to arrive early for future matches to help ease crowd management and avoid chaos.

“Fans should be at the stadium five hours before kickoff with their ticket ready on their mobile phone for quick verification. Don’t wait for the last minute. If you are trying to come to the stadium at 2 pm and the match is at 3 pm, for example, you are too late,” the FKF President said.

He also encouraged fans to enjoy the pre-match entertainment and be seated in good time. “Please come to the stadium early, there is plenty of entertainment. Come, sit and watch the game comfortably,” he added.

Mohammed also appealed for full cooperation with security teams on matchdays.

“Please follow the direction of the stewards of security personnel and everyone on the ground as you are directed. This enables free flow of people in and out of the stadium; it guarantees your safety and security,” he said.

He warned that ignoring safety procedures not only endangers lives but could also jeopardize Kenya’s ability to host future matches.

“Continued security breaches risk attracting severe sanctions from the relevant authorities, sanctions that would ultimately deny Kenyan fans the chance to enjoy such events in the future and erode the gains that we have already achieved in the recent past,” he said.