NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan ticketing platform Mookh Africa, the official vendor for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), has issued an apology to football fans after its website crashed during the highly anticipated ticket sales for the quarter-final clash between Kenya and Madagascar.
The system failure occurred shortly after sales went live at approximately 12 p.m. on Tuesday. In an official statement shared on its Instagram page, the company attributed the crash to an overwhelming surge of automated bots.
This influx prevented genuine fans from purchasing tickets as intended, causing widespread frustration among thousands of users.
The knockout match between Kenya and Madagascar is scheduled for Friday, August 22, at 5 p.m. at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
In its apology, Mookh acknowledged the disruption and the disappointment felt by many fans.
“We know how important it is for you to have a fair chance at getting tickets, and we’ve heard your frustration loud and clear,” the company’s statement read.
Mookh explained that its technical team is working urgently to resolve the issue and implement new safeguards to block bots from manipulating the sales process.
“Our team is actively working to stop this so that tickets go to fans, not bots,” the company assured.
Alongside the formal statement, Mookh also posted a message on its social media platforms with a caption aimed directly at fans, written in a mix of English and Kiswahili.
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The post read: “MaFANS!!! Poleni … our team is working hard to resolve this.” It added, “Tickets will be back on sale soon.” This informal communication was intended to reassure and calm fans while reinforcing the company’s commitment to a fair ticketing process.
The ticketing site’s downtime has highlighted the increasing global challenge posed by bots in the sports and entertainment industries.
These automated purchases often lead to tickets being resold at inflated prices, leaving genuine fans unable to attend events.
Despite the setback, Mookh expressed gratitude for the patience shown by fans and promised that sales would resume shortly.
“Thank you for your patience and for standing by us. Tickets will be back on sale very soon,” the statement concluded.
