All they wanted was free food, but they died getting it.

Eight people were trampled to death in a stampede at a church event offering free food in poverty-stricken Zambia on Sunday. The tragedy injured 28 others.

They were part of some 35,000 people who attended a prayer meeting sponsored by the Church of Christ in the capital Lusaka, The Christian Post reported.

Those who died were reportedly seen after the stampede still clutching the food they were given.

Swarms of people from the "ghettoes" began arriving at the stadium as early as three hours before the prayer meeting and food distribution were scheduled to begin.

The police said among the dead were six females, an adult male and a young boy. Five of them reportedly died on the spot while the remainder succumbed to their injuries at local hospitals.

The Zambian government immediately suspended the operations of the Church of God following the deadly stampede, the Lusaka Times reported.

Officials said preliminary investigations showed that "church leaders failed to comply with directives to produce all necessary legal documentation governing operations of the churches."

The Council of Churches in Zambia blamed the deaths on the "unacceptable poverty" in the country, according to a post by the Zambian Watchdog in its Facebook page.

At the same time, Council Secretary General Susanne Matale warned Zambians to beware of "unscrupulous organisations coming in the name of Christianity" that exploit the nation's poverty and "take advantage of innocent people" by luring them to attend their services.

"We believe that the people of Zambia are entitled to a dignified way of life and not struggle to a point of sacrificing their lives to secure food," Matale said.

A ticket to the event with the words "Free Entrance & Free Food Parcels" was posted on Facebook.

Many people commented that the church should be held responsible for the deaths, according to The Christian Post.

"It was a noble idea but maybe the food parcels should not have been advertised but instead announced it when people had already taken their seat........sad development though," wrote Sylvester Besto Mangani.

"A responsible Church should have known that you don't bribe people to come to a meeting. The result is always bad," Derick Chekwe said.