EABL to Refund Fans for Chaotic Walker Town Concert
Key takeaways
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- East African Breweries Limited (EABL) is set to refund frustrated ticket holders who attended day 2 of the Walker Town concert in Nairobi.
- Heavy rains, a faulty sound system, and a tragic stampede ruined what was supposed to be an unforgettable night for Kenyan music fans.
- After Sunday night’s heavy downpour that pounded most parts of Nairobi, a group of rowdy youth invaded the venue and gained forceful entry.
- In a remorseful statement, EABL has promised a 100% refund for all ticket holders.
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Heavy downpour and poor sound throw the Walker Town music concert into chaos
The second day of the highly publicized Walker Town concert in Nairobi was marked by confusion after a series of technical and security issues.
Nigerian star Divine Ikubor (Rema), Kenya’s Nyamari Ongegu (Nyashinski), and American RnB singer Lauryn Hill were among the big names supposed to grace the event.
By Sunday evening, the stage was ready for the anticipated performances. However, things started going south after heavy rains struck Nairobi out of nowhere.
According to a statement by the organizer (EABL), the rain was so intense that it destroyed the sound system crucial for stage performances by artists.
Efforts to restore the system saw the cancellation of Nyashinki’s planned performance on Sunday evening.
The organizers managed to get Lauryn Hill onstage late into the night, sparking furious reactions from fans some of whom demanded refunds.
Several fans reported that Miss Hill appeared on stage at 3 AM with poor sound quality, making it difficult for her to deliver her performance.
EABL’s statement reflects the fans’ disappointment and acknowledges their high expectations.
“We would like to extend our sincerest apologies to everyone who was affected. We understand the importance of meeting the high expectations we consistently try to deliver.
In light of these circumstances, we will be issuing a 100% refund to all ticket holders for Day two of the Walker Town 2024 festival within the next two weeks,” said EABL in a statement.
Broken limbs in Kasarani as rowdy youth forcefully gain entry to Walker Town Concert
Although the Walker Town Concert was delayed due to bad weather, a stampede at the gate resulted in numerous injuries among attendees.
A group of psyched-up youth gradually swelled around the venue seeking to gain entry. Capitalizing on the bad weather, the disorderly crowds charged toward the gate, overpowered security, and forcefully entered.
The scenes were reminiscent of the famous occupation of parliament on June 25th when angry protestors repelled police gunfire and stormed into parliament buildings.
Some of the intruders at Walker Town proudly recorded their unauthorized entry in videos that have been shared on social media.
Posted under captions such as “Operation Occupy Rema fest” among others, the videos show out-of-control youth running towards the stage causing serious injuries.
Many suffered lost teeth, broken ribs, and bones in the aftermath of the chaos.
One of the invaders proudly proclaimed “Tuliingia bunge bure hapa ni wapi, tumeingia!” translating to “We got to parliament for free, here we are!”
In a dramatic turn of events, this particular invader had his smartphone snatched moments after storming the venue.
Walker Town 2024 has drawn widespread condemnation directed at the organizers and chaotic attendees. The exact number of people hurt in the stampede remains unknown as enraged ticket holders wait for their refunds.
