NAIROBI, Kenya-Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Nanyuki on Monday in opposition to a planned United States-backed Ebola isolation and quarantine facility near Laikipia Air Base, escalating tensions over a project that has already been temporarily suspended by the courts.
The demonstrations come days after the High Court issued conservatory orders halting the establishment and operationalisation of the facility pending the hearing of a petition challenging its legality and potential public health implications.
The court also barred the admission or transfer of any Ebola-exposed or infected individuals into Kenya under the disputed arrangement.
Protesters, many of them young people, marched through Nanyuki town carrying placards and chanting slogans against the project, arguing that hosting Ebola-exposed foreign nationals could expose local communities to unnecessary health risks.
Some roads were blocked, businesses disrupted, and traffic brought to a standstill as security officers moved in to contain the demonstrations.
The controversy centres on reports that the US government plans to establish a 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base to accommodate American citizens who may have been exposed to the virus during the ongoing outbreak in parts of East and Central Africa.
US officials have maintained that the facility would primarily serve asymptomatic individuals requiring observation and monitoring.
Residents have, however, expressed fears that the project could place Nanyuki and neighbouring communities at risk should containment measures fail.
“Nanyuki is a very small town,” one protest organiser told Reuters, arguing that military personnel and civilians interact daily, making any potential outbreak a concern for the wider community.
The legal challenge was filed by rights groups and constitutional watchdogs who argue that Kenya’s public health system should not be used to host foreign Ebola patients without adequate public participation, transparency and assurances on safety.
The petitioners contend that the arrangement raises constitutional, health and national security concerns.
Despite the court order, reports indicate that preparations linked to the project may have continued at the military facility, with increased security presence and military aircraft activity observed around the airbase over the weekend.
The Kenyan government has defended the proposal, insisting that it forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s emergency response systems.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has stated that the facility was not intended exclusively for Americans and would enhance Kenya’s preparedness against infectious disease outbreaks.
The project has also attracted international attention after the United States pledged $13.5 million (about KSh1.7 billion) to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts amid growing concerns over the outbreak in neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The High Court is expected to consider further arguments in the case this week as debate intensifies over the balance between global health cooperation and local public safety concerns.
