Kenya’s President William Ruto has defended the establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility for US nationals, even as a court halted the plan following public outcry and protests over fears of possible virus transmission.
The facility, located at Laikipia Air Base about 200 kilometres from Nairobi, was reportedly built by the United States to quarantine American citizens arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently battling a major Ebola outbreak.
The centre was expected to accommodate up to 50 isolation beds and be operated by US medical personnel.
However, the plan triggered violent protests on Monday near the military base, where demonstrators expressed concerns that hosting Ebola-related quarantine activities on Kenyan soil could expose the country to the virus.
Security forces responded with tear gas to disperse the protesters. While emergency responders and the Kenya Red Cross reported injuries, they could not confirm reports of fatalities during the unrest.
In a statement posted on social media platform X on Tuesday, President Ruto insisted that the quarantine facility was part of a broader national health preparedness framework and not an exceptional arrangement.
“The proposed facility is neither unique nor exceptional but part of a broader national preparedness system,” Ruto said, adding that it would serve both Kenyan citizens and international partners.
He further defended the agreement with the United States, stating that the collaboration was in Kenya’s national interest.
“The agreement between the government of Kenya and the American government is for the good of our country and for the partnership,” he said.
The president also urged critics not to politicise the arrangement, arguing that the government was acting responsibly in managing public health risks.
“Why anybody would want to politicise, to mobilise negative politics on a matter so serious as a pandemic?” he asked.
Despite the government’s assurances, the High Court on Tuesday extended a temporary suspension of the project. The ruling followed a petition filed by the Katiba Institute, a rights organisation that accused the government of establishing the facility without adequate transparency.
The court ordered the government to disclose all agreements related to the quarantine centre within seven days.
Meanwhile, a small group of protesters gathered in central Nairobi, donning white protective suits and carrying placards reading “Reject Ebola in Kenya” and a symbolic coffin labelled “Ebola” to express their opposition.
Health concerns have been heightened by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 deaths have been reported since May 15, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Neighbouring Uganda has also recorded 11 confirmed cases, including one death, raising regional concerns about cross-border transmission.
Kenya, however, has reported no Ebola cases so far, although authorities say they continue extensive screening of arrivals and monitoring of the situation.
The debate over the quarantine facility has intensified public scrutiny of international health agreements and Kenya’s preparedness strategies for managing potential outbreaks.
