BUJUMBURA, Burundi – Eight people have died and nine others injured after a crowd crush at an evangelical gathering in Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura, police have confirmed.
The incident happened on Saturday night at the Senior Technical School of Kamenge, where thousands of worshippers had gathered to attend a preaching event by prominent Burundian pastor Chris Ndikumana.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the tragedy occurred as worshippers attempted to leave the venue after the event ended late at night.
A wall near the exit gate reportedly collapsed as large numbers of people pushed towards the same exit, causing panic and a deadly crush.
Some worshippers were knocked down and trampled in the chaos, while others appeared to have died from suffocation.
“There were so many people and everyone wanted to leave at the same time,” a teacher at the venue told AFP news agency.
Burundi police said six deaths were recorded at King Khaled Hospital in Bujumbura, involving five women and one man.
Four other people were being treated at the same hospital.
Two additional deaths were recorded at a military hospital, where five injured people were receiving medical attention.
Police said only two victims had visible physical injuries, while others showed no signs of trauma, suggesting that suffocation caused by overcrowding may have contributed to the deaths and injuries.
Chris Ndikumana is one of Burundi’s most popular evangelical preachers and leads the Kanguka (Wake up) ministry.
His religious gatherings often attract large crowds across several African countries, and his YouTube channel has more than one million subscribers.
Some followers believe his prayers can heal illnesses, making his events highly attended.
Neither Ndikumana nor the organisers of the gathering had publicly commented on the incident at the time of reporting.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about safety measures during large religious gatherings, where thousands of people often gather in limited spaces.
Crowd crushes have occurred at religious events in different parts of Africa in recent years.
In 2020, at least 20 people died in neighbouring Tanzania during an outdoor religious service after worshippers rushed forward during a blessing ceremony.
In 2022, 31 people were killed in a crush in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, during a church food distribution event that attracted large crowds.
The same year, at least 29 people, including 11 children, died in a crush in Liberia after thieves targeted worshippers leaving a large evangelical gathering.
Authorities in Burundi are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including crowd management arrangements and safety measures at the venue.
Officials are also expected to provide further updates on the condition of the injured worshippers and any actions to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
