Persistent Soccer Pitch Unrestand Its Implications On Security In Nairobi City County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

This study sought to investigate and to document the causes of football violence in the Kenya

soccer fields. The specific objectives were: to examine the circumstances under which

football violence typically occurs in Kenya’s stadia, to identify some of the factors that

correlate to violence during match and post-match violence, to review the existing policy

framework that governs football in Kenya. The study utilized Frustration -Aggression theory.

The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of 320

respondents drawn from officials in football management, club officials, football fans and

police officers. The study sampled 246 respondents from the target population using

purposive and simple random sampling. Quantitative Primary data was gathered using

questionnaires. Interview schedule was used to collect qualitative primary data from senior

managers of sports management, police officers and club’s management. Qualitative data was

analysed using the thematic method, data reduction and classification of information.

Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics using Statistical Package of Social

Sciences. Cross-tabulation was used to test the relationship between the study variables. The

analysed data is presented in tables and charts to represent quantitative findings. Qualitative

findings were presented in narratives, verbatim reporting, discussions and inferences. The

study findings are summarised and conclusion made in an attempt to describe the research

objectives. Regarding circumstances under which football violence typically occurs, the study

found outthat football fans aggression, police action, rude or abusive fans and uncoordinated

football match management are circumstances that breeds football violence. On the factors

that correlate to violence during match and post-match violence, the study revealed that

alcoholism before and after the match, the number of policemen/security officers are not

normally enough during matches and also that stadium design and lack of constant monitoring

of crowd density by the police and stewards are factors that correlate to violence during match

and post-match violence.On the existing policy framework on football violence in Kenya, the

study revealed that, to a moderateextent, the following policy frameworks are satisfied:

security provision by host clubs, structured complaints and disciplinary mechanism and also

safety precautions by regulating government agencies. Thus, the study therefore recommends

that the government through its Ministry of Sports should consider setting up policies

prohibiting drunkenness in the stadiums while the matches are ongoing and also should hire

qualified contractors to derive a quality stadium design. Also, the study recommends that the

Ministry of Interior Coordination should deploy adequate police officers to stadia while there

are matches going on. Also, the study recommends that the clubs management should deploy

adequate stewards to the stadia to control the fans.The management of the football clubs

should create schedules that support coordinated football matches to discourage

uncoordinated football match management. The policy makers in sports sector should pass

regulations,these regulations should include the procedure of crowd handling where fans are

segregated, the sale of ticketing to be done away from the venue before the match day,

referees and match officials to be train in proper match handling and officiating.