Police teargas fans as AFC Leopards-Shabana clash ends in chaos
By Luke Oluoch, March 1, 2026Fans attending the AFC Leopards vs. Shabana Kenya Premier League clash at the Nyayo Stadium endured a tumultuous evening of teargas fracas as police sought to rein in the fans inside the venue.
The well-attended clash pitting second-placed Leopards against close rivals Shabana, who sit third, lived up to its billing.
Ingwe ran out 5-1 winners in a high-scoring outcome, bouncing back to winning ways and continuing their title push.
The encounter finale was, however, marred by a violent confrontation off the pitch between police and the fans.
The law enforcement officers had a busy evening restoring order and resorted to the use of tear gas on multiple occasions to disperse fans.
Fans dispersed
Moments after the final whistle, the sizeable crowd dashed frantically toward the nearest exit points as police separated the two sets of supporters following the encounter.
The effects of the fumes spilled over onto the pitch, where ball boys and players were not spared the fury of the pungent gases.
Earlier, officers manning the gates were forced to use tear gas following a commotion among fans seeking access to the stadium. After a brief standoff at one of the gates, as the crowd began hurling projectiles toward the inside, it escalated into a violent confrontation.
Police once again threw tear gas during the second half of the much-anticipated clash, bringing a temporary delay to the game in the 75th minute.
Moments after Leopards added a fourth goal, choking gases were unleashed on a section of the crowd, forcing fans to seek refuge.
The entire episode left fans frustrated, with a number taking to social media after the game to question the police’s actions.
“We condemn hooliganism by all means, but again… is that the best way those guys have been taught in all the seminars that have been going on in relation to crowd control? Ama teargas ikitoka base lazima itumike na itumike yote!” queried Edward Dindi, an AFC Leopards fan.
“I will never attend KPL matches again. Police lobbed over 15 tear gas canisters into the air at Nyayo Stadium today,” popular social media user, Omwamba decried.
“Shabana FC Kenya disappointed us; tear gas almost sent us to meet our ancestors, but linking up with you was still a win, blood. Let’s do this again soon,” a Shabana fan named Certified Overthinker said.