During the Mashujaa Day celebration in Kericho, a chaotic stampede resulted in the tragic loss of 4 women’s lives and left 13 others injured. The commotion was triggered by spilled tea at the event venue.
The deadly incident occurred at 3 a.m. on Friday, hours before the stadium gates were opened to the public in preparation for national celebrations led by President William Samoe Ruto.
A statement from the police reveals that the incident occurred when a tea vendor accidentally spilled tea onto an open fire, triggering a panic situation.
In stable conditions, authorities rushed the injured individuals to Kericho County Referral Hospital. They moved the deceased to the hospital’s morgue for identification and postmortem procedures.
Kericho County Gains benefits from hosting Mashujaa Day Celebrations
The venue of the event, Kericho Green Stadium, has undergone renovation. Expanding its capacity to accommodate 10,000 seats.
The national government has actively paved approximately 10 kilometers of road, with an additional 2 kilometers in Kaptatet. These improvements were made in preparation for the four-day Universal Health Coverage exhibition and conference.
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Furthermore, Kericho County Referral Hospital has been upgraded from a level 4 to a level 5 facility, enhancing healthcare service for residents. This upgrade includes the establishment of an oncology unit and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Both were inaugurated by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua earlier last week.
The county has also witnessed the expansion of Kerenga Airstrip to meet airport standards, with an additional allocation of 400 million by the national government to complete this project. Governor Eric Mutai of Kericho County expressed, “This airport will be elevated to the status of Wilson Airport. Opening up Kericho for tourism and business and serving the entire South Rifth region.”
Additionally, the County Commissioner’s residence has been reconstructed to host the garden party following the celebration at the stadium.
