Football fans running away from a cloud of teargas outside Nyayo Stadium on March 30, 2025/ SCREENGRABPolice fired teargas outside Nyayo Stadium ahead of the Mashemeji Derby on Sunday.
In videos circulating on social media, fans are seen fleeing the scene as anti-riot police stood guard.
Emotions ran high as fans eagerly waited to enter the stadium for the high-stakes clash between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.
AFC Leopards are hosting Gor Mahia in the 96th league meeting between the clubs.
The match kicked off at 4pm.
Ingwe is determined to end a poor run of results against their eternal rivals, who defeated them home and away last season.
The clash was initially scheduled for November 2024 and then earlier this month.
In the match, Gor Mahia seek to reclaim the top spot while AFC Leopards look to reignite their title ambitions.
Gor Mahia are currently third on the Kenya Premier League log with 42 points.
Leopards lie in the 5th place with 36 points.
New Gor Mahia tactician Sinisa Mihic and his Leopards counterpart Fred Ambani are both in charge of the derby for the first time, with three points, pride, and bragging rights at stake.
KO’gallo who completed a double over Ingwe last season, have dominated the fixture in the last nine years, losing only once.
After both sides have played 21 matches, Gor are currently at position three with 36 points, while Ingwe are fifth with 34 points.
The use of teargas on fans has become a recurring trend during the Mashemeji Derby.
On April 21, 2024, during another edition of the derby, police lobbed teargas to disperse fans of both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, who had invaded the pitch at Nyayo Stadium.
Videos showed fans, presumably from both teams, flooding the pitch as a cloud of teargas smoke engulfed one side.
Reports indicated that Gor Mahia fans had provoked their AFC Leopards counterparts, prompting police to intervene by firing teargas and rubber bullets to restore order.
However, this action was met with backlash on social media, with many Kenyans criticizing the police for violating football regulations by using teargas against the supporters.
