By Tichaona Katsvamutima
One person has died following a fatal incident at the National Sports Stadium during Zimbabwe’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, with police launching investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death.
The incident occurred at Gate Two at around 6.30pm, shortly after the match got underway, as thousands of supporters converged on the stadium for Zimbabwe’s first competitive international fixture at the venue in almost five years.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the incident involved a police public-order vehicle and a pedestrian.
“Swift and comprehensive investigations are currently under way following a fatal incident involving a police public order vehicle and a pedestrian at the National Sports Stadium,” police said in a statement.
Police said the incident occurred during a stampede at Gate Two, but did not immediately identify the deceased or provide further details on whether other people were injured.
Commissioner-General of Police Stephen Mutamba expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased and assured the public that investigations would establish what transpired.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said a detailed statement would be issued.
The tragedy overshadowed what was expected to be a celebratory return for the Warriors to the National Sports Stadium, which had been unavailable for international football after being subjected to CAF venue restrictions and subsequent renovations.
The stadium had been cleared to host international football again, with a large crowd turning out for the highly anticipated Group E qualifier. More than 30,000 supporters bought tickets ahead of the match, while authorities had warned of heavy congestion around the venue.
On the field, the Warriors suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Leopards. Yoane Wissa opened the scoring for the visitors in the 30th minute before setting up Samuel Moutoussamy for DRC’s second goal in first-half stoppage time.
Marshall Munetsi pulled one back for Zimbabwe in the third minute of added time.
The match ended on another sour note when some supporters invaded the pitch after the final whistle, with concerns raised over stadium security and crowd control.
Former Warriors striker Alois Bunjira questioned how supporters had managed to gain access to the playing.
“Where were the stadium marshals and the police when these hooligans and vandals invaded the pitch after the final whistle?” Bunjira wrote on Facebook.
He called for a zero-tolerance approach to pitch invasions and questioned the possible implications of the incident for Zimbabwe, particularly in light of the country’s return to hosting international football.
