Dr. Christian Emeruwa, Head of the Safety and Security Division at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), believes the recently concluded three-day Safe Stadium workshop in Nairobi will play a crucial role in achieving CAF's goal of ensuring zero fatalities and enhanced spectator safety across Africa.
Kenya became the 10th country to host the CAF Safe Stadium Initiative, where 40 participants from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), all 18 FKF Premier League clubs, private security firms, and the National Police Service (NPS) were trained in stadium safety and security protocols.
"This is one of the critical contributions CAF is making to drive the changes we want to see in stadium operations across Africa, specifically in stadium safety," Dr. Emeruwa said as he closed the workshop.
"For a long time, we have overlooked how safety and security are managed in our stadiums. What we have lacked is the capacity, the know-how, to understand what needs to be done. That is why we started this initiative across different countries."
He added, "This is a key part of our effort to work directly with clubs, who are the main players, to ensure they are aware of what needs to be done and have the necessary knowledge and skills."
Dr. Emeruwa expressed optimism that the training will lead to significant improvements in stadium security management, especially as Kenya prepares to co-host the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
FKF interim General Secretary Patrick Korir praised CAF for the initiative, noting its potential to improve stadium safety and boost match attendance.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"This is an important step for us because we need to create an environment where every fan feels safe. I want to thank CAF for this initiative because these participants are now not just stadium stewards, but trained safety and security officers," Korir said.
His sentiments were echoed by Austin Oduor, National Safety and Security Officer (NSSO) at FKF, who said, "This has been an excellent three days, and the training we received will greatly improve how we handle high-risk matches. We aim to ensure our stadiums are safe for everyone."
On the final day of the workshop, Dr. Emeruwa, along with CAF Safety and Security officials Xolile Vilakazi and Dixon Okello, led participants through a practical session on managing stadium safety at Nairobi's Nyayo Stadium, one of the host venues for the 2025 CHAN.
Dr. Emeruwa urged Premier League clubs to support the newly trained officers, particularly in funding the implementation of the new safety protocols.
The 40 participants will now proceed to the next stage by taking the FIFA Safety and Security online course.
