At least eight die in stampede after Burundi evangelical gathering

At least eight people were killed in a stampede after an evangelical gathering in Bujumbura, Burundi's largest city, police said. Police said eight worshippers died and nine others were injured.

Thousands of people had attended a sermon by Burundian preacher Chris Ndikumana at Kamenge Technical School. A teacher at the school said many people tried to leave at the same time after the gathering, which took place late at night, causing a crush in which people were trampled.

The organisers had not publicly commented on the incident, according to the source.

The report said evangelical churches have grown quickly across Africa and noted other deadly stampedes at large religious gatherings in recent years. It cited Tanzania in 2020, where at least 20 people died after crowds surged to reach "holy oil" distributed by a preacher, and Liberia in 2022, where at least 29 people, including 11 children, were killed in a crush after thieves targeted worshippers leaving a large evangelical gathering.