When the hunter became the hunted at Nyayo Stadium

Audio By Vocalize

For many sports enthusiasts, Martin Niemoller is a name that would hardly ring a bell, if at all.

For context's sake, Niemoller was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany who sympathised with many Nazi ideas, but after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, the pastor became an outspoken critic of Hitler’s interference in the Protestant Church.

He pontificated to whoever cared to listen that individual Germans failed to accept responsibility for Nazism at the time. To him, no one wanted to take responsibility for the atrocities committed against those with dissenting views.

Like many others, initially, he chose to keep quiet. Looked the other way and pretended that nothing was happening. He heard no evil. He saw no evil. He spoke no evil.

Later Niemoller, unlike many of us, overtly admitted his moral letdowns committed during the Nazi era. That the church failed the masses was never in doubt. For that too, he owned up and coined the famous poem; “...First they came...”

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

For Sports journalists covering the FKF Super Cup between Gor Mahia and Tusker FC on Sunday afternoon at Nyayo Stadium, Niemoller’s words offer a perfect summary of emotions and thoughts.

For the longest time, journalists have been covering victims of police brutality and callousness. But on Sunday just after the final whistle, part of the battery doing the Lord’s work became victims.

What was meant to be a perfect curtain-raiser to the much-awaited Premier League action turned out to be a constant reminder of how not to do things.

Tusker’s 3-1 victory was eclipsed by messy scenes, with some fans invading the pitch, and some property damaged. But what would have been handled in an affable way metamorphosed into something else within seconds.

Tear gas filled the air of the tranquil stands of Nyayo Stadium. Fresh blood and bruises on some journalists’ faces and arms, a reminder of being at the right place, but at the wrong time. The Rapid Deployment Unit tasked with handling counter-terrorism, and banditry suppression was the one deployed for this match.

Their reactions told of a team that hardly negotiates or trained in handling crowd trouble. Suddenly, this wasn’t football.

This wasn’t a serene family day out on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Instead, it was a first-hand showing of the distasteful scenes that many refuse to pontificate against: police savagery at its ugliest and fans opting to be unruly at the slightest provocation.

When the air cleared somewhat, Mozzart Sport’s journalist Gad Isaac, Fazul Khalid of Habari 254TV, Sport FM’s Brandon Asiema and Hesbon Osugo, among other journalists, were recorded as statistics of police’s insatiable appetite for cruelty. Cue pandemonium. Wanton chaos and moments of utter brutality.

“I was saved from more harm by a colleague (Muigai Kiguru). I still don’t understand why RDU were deployed to man this match. They escalated matters for no reason, while attacking unarmed journalists, who were just doing their work,” said Khalid.

Muigai gave a helping hand to his brother when he was crying loud.

On their part, Football Kenya Federation condemned the acts of violence at Nyayo.

“FKF is concerned by the use of tear gas and other crowd-control measures during the incidents. While security agencies have a responsibility to maintain order, such measures must be exercised with restraint, professionalism and in accordance with the law,” the federation said.

With new season matches coming up, it’s going to take some time to shake this feeling of fan trouble and police inhumaneness. You see, football fandom comes close to a cult.

Every week, they will troop to their favourite venues wearing the same club colours, and in hoarse cacophony, chant their club songs. That’s the feeling of collective triumph when they win or humiliating misery when they lose.

For many of them who’ve been bitten by the football bug, it’ll be a lifelong condition. Quite impossible to cure.

The police and unruly fans shouldn’t deny such fans the chance to relive those moments.