Somali Magazine October 21, 2023- Kenyan authorities have revealed that a stampede killed at least four people on Friday and injured 100 others during celebrations to mark an annual public holiday.
The stampede happened when thousands of people struggled to get inside Kericho stadium in western Kenya at dawn, police said. The stadium was the venue for this year’s Mashujaa Day, which means Heroes’ Day in swahili.
President William Ruto, who addressed thousands of people at the stadium about four hours later, didn’t mention the stampede. He instead dedicated his speech to his plans for a universal health care plan.
It wasn’t clear if Ruto was aware of the stampede when he delivered his remarks.
The injured were rushed to Kericho County Referral Hospital, where four people died, police said in a statement, adding that all were women whose identities have yet to be determined.
Mashujaa Day is a national holiday in Kenya observed on Oct. 20 to honor all those who contributed to Kenya’s independence struggle.
The Kenyan government has expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
The Green Stadium has a seating capacity of 10,000 people.