It all started when Seh Calaz and Soul Jah Love got physical on stage, prompting their excitable fans to start fighting, with some trying to leap onto the stage. This is despite Seh Calaz’s earlier assertion durng an interview with Zimbo Jam that he and Soul Jah Love were just rivals and not enemies.
Police started firing teargas into the crowd, sending thousands of revellers scurrying for safety. Some got trampled in the process and sustained serious injuries.
Zimbo Jam photojournalist, Tsitsi Ndabambi, was covering the event and was also sent scurrying for cover as the crowds surged forward trying to escape the violence and teargas. She is asthmatic and started experiencing breathing problems from inhaling teargas. She later on received medical attention and was missing in action till about 1pm today when we finally heard from her at a 24 Hr Emergency Room in Warren Park.
Zimbo Jam visited Harare Central and Parirenyatwa hospitals this morning and the nurses on duty confirmed that they had admitted casualties from the City Sports Centre riots. They would not say how serious the injuries were or if anyone had died as rumours on social media platforms are insinuating.
At midday StarFM reported that there were unconfirmed reports of people who had died during the stampede.
Event organiser and arts promoter Partson ‘Chipaz’ Chimbodza was unreachable for comment. Another promoter, Josh Hozheri, who was also at the show said that he had managed to escape without injury but that his car windscreen was smashed in the chaos.
Police are investigating the issue and have not confirmed if there were any deaths at the event.
Ironically, this morning when we visited the City Sports Centre, there was no evidence of the chaos that had transpired just a few hours earlier as the venue had been prepped up for Emmanuel Makandiwa's Sunday service and already scores of worshippers were inside awaiting the commencement of the service.
Post published in: Arts