A stampede in Kenya leaves 4 dead and about 100 injured during an event marking an annual holiday

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A stampede in Kenya during celebrations to mark an annual public holiday killed at least four people on Friday and injured 100 others, authorities said.

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 on a universal health care plan.

It wasn’t clear if Ruto was aware of the stampede when he delivered his remarks.