At least eight people were injured in a stampede outside the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani Tuesday morning.

This was after hundreds of Kenyans attending the inauguration of President-elect William Ruto forced their way into the stadium. 

More police had to be brought in to control the situation after the scene turned chaotic. 

A few minutes past 6 AM, police said they were unable to control the crowd, which broke the stadium’s fences and trooped in without being frisked.

“There was a breach but we have controlled the situation,” said a police officer at the scene.

Videos from the event showed hordes of people streaming into the stadium screaming hysterically.

Some sustained injuries, with Red Cross personnel seen evacuating the casualties from the scene. Police later said they had closed the gates.

"In anticipation of being part of history, Kenyans have thronged into the venue in large numbers. By 5.00 am this morning, the venue had already filled to capacity, as more people continued to troop to the venue," police spokesperson Bruno Shioso said in a statement.

"To avoid logistical challenges, this is to request the public to make alternative arrangements to view the proceedings, especially from the comfort of their homes."

Huge screens were mounted outside the stadium for those who were locked out by 7.30 am.

Up to 10,000 police officers had been mobilized for operations for the event. Some were deployed on the streets and more around the venue of the event.

At least 17 presidents, eight Prime Ministers and Deputy Presidents and seven foreign ministers will attend the inauguration of Ruto. Others include nine special envoys, seven international organisations and one former president.

All presidents from the East African Community (EAC) are expected to grace the swearing-in ceremony at Kasarani Stadium. 

They are Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC Congo), Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia) and Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.

Others include Dennis Nguesso (Congo), Ismail Guelleh (Djibouti), Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique), Brahim Ghail (Sahrawi Republic), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Azali Assousmani (Comoros) and Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi.

Abiy Ahmed (Ethiopia), Umaro Embalo (Guinea Bissau) and Waveli Ramkalawan (Seychelles) will also attend.

Top representatives of the United Nations (UN), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Commonwealth, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) are also expected to attend.

Cuban deputy Prime Minister Ines Maria Chapman Waugh, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (Vice President of Equatorial Guinea), Mahamadu Bawumia (Vice President Ghana), David Mabuza (Vice President South Africa), Sorena Sattari (Vice President Iran), Yemi Osinbajo (Vice President Nigeria), Malik Agar (Sudan’s transitional council) and Maja Gojkovic (Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia) will attend.

The speaker of Algeria Ibrahim Boughali, Togo’s Yawa Tsegan, former German president Christian Wulff and UK’s minister for Commonwealth Vicky Ford as well as India’s minister for external affairs Vellamvelli Muraleedharan will also be present

President Joe Biden Saturday announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the event.

The team will be led by the US trade representative Katherine Tai and will include the ambassador to Nairobi Meg Whitman, Colin Allred, United States Representative (D), Texas and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State Mary Catherine Phee.

Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development Dr Monde Muyangwa will also attend the event.

Japan will be represented by a special envoy of Prime Minister Makihara Hideki while South Korea will have Choung Byoung Gug who is the chairman of the central committee of the People Power Party and China will have Liu Yuxi, a special representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs.

The Assumption of Office of the President Committee said some 2,500 VIPs are also expected to grace the occasion.

The function’s guard of honor is expected to be mounted by the 21st battalion of the Kenya Rifles. By Cyrus Ombati, The Star