Nairobi — Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei says Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba should be held accountable for the stampede that took place at Wilson Kiprugut Chumo Stadium in Kericho County during the Mashujaa Day celebrations on Friday.

In a tweet on his X account, Senator Cherargei pointed out that the tragic stampede, which resulted in four fatalities and 13 injuries, could have been avoided had the stadium been built to meet higher safety standards.

"The supervising ministry of Sports CS Ababu must held responsible for this unfortunate incident. This is a clear pointer to substandard work done by the ministry at the stadium," Senator Cherargei said.

When paying tribute to the departed and extending his sympathies to the grieving families, the second-term Senator added that the "incident embarrassed all of us," underscoring the importance of holding those responsible accountable.

"My apologies to the entire country," he said.

The stampede occurred at 3 a.m. and was attributed by the police to an accidental spill of hot tea from a street vendor, which attendees mistakenly confused for teargas because of its steam.

President William Ruto has since expressed his condolences for the four women who lost their lives, while the government initiated investigations to determine the cause of the stampede and establish preventive measures for potential future incidents.

Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, supervised the construction of Chumo Stadium in preparation for Friday's celebrations.

He also chaired the National Celebrations Steering Committee, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the festivities, including stadium renovation.

The stadium's enhancements included increasing its seating capacity to 10,000 and providing essential amenities like electricity, water, and a sewage system.