Four women died in a stampede in western Kenya on Friday after a crowd panicked when people mistook the effect of tea spilt on a fire for tear gas, police said.

The Incident in the town of Kericho happened outside a stadium where President William Ruto was due to deliver a national day speech several hours’ later.

A woman selling tea accidentally spilled it into a fire, as people waited in the early hours to enter the stadium.

“There was a stampede caused by a lady who was selling tea outside the stadium who accidentally spilled hot tea in the fire near gate C along the public road,” according to a police report, seen by AFP.

“As a result members of public panicked and mistook it to be a tear gas thrown to them.”

Several people were injured and taken to hospital, it added.

“At the said hospital, four unidentified women have been confirmed dead.”

Events to mark Heroes’ Day went ahead later, as planned at the 10,000-capacity stadium including an address by Ruto.

The public holiday is in honour of those who fought in the struggle for independence, which Kenya obtained in 1963. (AFP)