Stampede at railway inauguration

PANIC broke out at the official inauguration of the new railway station at Ondangwa on Saturday, where some 4 000 people were allowed into the fenced premises of the new station.

The public formed long queues over a kilometre long at the entrance gate where they were thoroughly searched by the Police – a slow process. After President Hifikepunye Pohamba arrived by train at the Nehale Iya Mpingana railway station, he saw the large crowds lined up outside the fence.Proving once again that he is a President of the people, the Head of State ordered the security forces to let the people in.”They have built the railway with their own hands; it is their railway, let them in,” Pohamba was overheard saying.Thousands of happy people then rushed inside the premises to get as close as possible to the main tent where the ceremony took place.The start of the ceremony was delayed by one hour to allow the people to get in.Police and members of the National Youth Service kept control and made the crowds sit on the rails between the two platforms.All was fine, but during the speech of Transport Minister Joel Kaapanda, a sudden panic set in.People tried to get off the rails as quickly as possible after a false rumour was spread that a locomotive was approaching.The crowd panicked and women with babies and small children on their arms had difficulty staying on their feet in the stampede.A few people suffered slight injuries and paramedics were called to attend to them while the ceremony continued.After President Hifikepunye Pohamba arrived by train at the Nehale Iya Mpingana railway station, he saw the large crowds lined up outside the fence.Proving once again that he is a President of the people, the Head of State ordered the security forces to let the people in.”They have built the railway with their own hands; it is their railway, let them in,” Pohamba was overheard saying.Thousands of happy people then rushed inside the premises to get as close as possible to the main tent where the ceremony took place.The start of the ceremony was delayed by one hour to allow the people to get in.Police and members of the National Youth Service kept control and made the crowds sit on the rails between the two platforms.All was fine, but during the speech of Transport Minister Joel Kaapanda, a sudden panic set in.People tried to get off the rails as quickly as possible after a false rumour was spread that a locomotive was approaching.The crowd panicked and women with babies and small children on their arms had difficulty staying on their feet in the stampede.A few people suffered slight injuries and paramedics were called to attend to them while the ceremony continued.