Nanyuki unrest: Police disperse protesters over US Ebola facility
Clashes erupt in central Kenya as demonstrators challenge the construction of a 50-bed quarantine centre, citing sovereignty concerns and health risks amid the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
Kenyan police deployed water cannons, tear gas, and gunfire on Tuesday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in Nanyuki who were protesting the construction of a proposed US-run Ebola quarantine centre at Laikipia Air Base. The clashes saw protesters lighting fires and hurling stones at law enforcement officers, marking a significant escalation in local opposition to the facility.
The centre, designed to accommodate 50 isolation beds and staffed by US personnel, has drawn sharp criticism from residents and local politicians. Many Kenyans accuse the United States of shifting the risks associated with caring for individuals exposed to the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda onto Kenyan soil. This sentiment is heightened by the fact that Kenya has never recorded a case of Ebola.
Despite a temporary halt order issued by Kenya’s High Court, construction at the air base continued late last week. The government’s decision to proceed has been framed as a matter of diplomatic obligation, with President William Ruto’s administration citing Kenya’s debt of gratitude to Washington for years of financial and technical support. The United States has committed $13.5 million to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts, a figure the government argues justifies the project's continuation.
The facility’s location near Nanyuki in central Kenya has become the focal point of a broader debate on public health governance and international cooperation. While the US maintains the centre is necessary for managing potential cases, local opposition remains vocal, with critics arguing that the presence of potential virus carriers poses an unacceptable risk to the population.
As the project moves forward, the tension between state policy and public sentiment remains unresolved. The government’s pledge to press ahead with the quarantine centre, even in the face of judicial intervention and street protests, underscores the complex diplomatic and security challenges inherent in managing cross-border health crises.
