Kenya High Court Halts US-Linked Ebola Facility Amidst Transparency Demands
The High Court has extended conservatory orders to prevent the establishment of the quarantine unit in Laikipia County, ordering the government to disclose all agreement terms and health assessments.
Kenya’s High Court has ordered the government to release full details of a proposed United States-linked Ebola quarantine facility, extending conservatory orders that halt the establishment of any such isolation or treatment centre in the country. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, requires the cabinet secretary for health to make public the agreement terms, health and biosafety assessments, regulatory approvals, and operational protocols. This judicial intervention follows violent unrest in Nanyuki on Monday, where two people died from gunshot wounds during protests against the planned site.
The facility, planned for an air force base in Laikipia County, was intended to serve asymptomatic Americans exposed to the virus. Senior US officials stated the 50-bed unit would specifically cater to these individuals. However, the plan has drawn sharp opposition from civil society groups. The Katiba Institute, the main petitioner, argued during the hearing that the deal lacks transparency and poses grave health risks. The Law Society of Kenya and the main doctors’ union also opposed the plan, citing concerns that Kenya’s health infrastructure is too fragile to manage potential dangers.
President William Ruto has defended the facility as part of a broader national preparedness plan and a partnership with Washington. Speaking in northern Kenya, Ruto stated he approved the facility following a request from US President Donald Trump, citing decades of cooperation on health programmes including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19. He insisted the Laikipia unit is not unique, noting that Kenya has prepared isolation, surveillance, and treatment facilities in 23 counties and that the site would also serve Kenyans if needed.
The legal challenge was initially brought after the High Court ordered the government to suspend the plan on Friday, arguing the site could endanger public health. The current context involves a rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, which has killed 48 people and been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. Critics argue the response is lagging behind the outbreak's pace.
Health Minister Aden Duale had pledged to proceed with the facility on Saturday, describing it as part of a wider effort to strengthen emergency response systems. Despite this, the court’s latest order mandates a complete disclosure of the deal’s documentation. The ruling underscores the tension between the government’s diplomatic commitments and domestic demands for accountability and public health safety.
