NYERI, Kenya- Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has strongly opposed plans to establish an Ebola treatment and isolation facility in neighbouring Laikipia County, warning that the move could expose Nyeri residents to significant public health risks.
In a statement issued on Friday, Kahiga said residents of Nyeri were deeply concerned by reports that the government was considering operationalising an Ebola isolation centre in Laikipia, noting that the two counties share a long border and have close economic and social ties.
The governor argued that any public health threat in Laikipia would directly affect Nyeri due to the movement of people, goods and services between the two counties.
“Any public health risk in Laikipia is therefore a direct concern to the leadership and the great people of Nyeri,” Kahiga said, adding that Ebola remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases and that the risks associated with cross-border movement cannot be ignored.
Kahiga called on the Ministry of Health to immediately suspend the project until extensive consultations are conducted with leaders and communities likely to be affected. He also demanded the public release of all technical, environmental and safety assessment reports related to the proposed facility.
“The residents of Nyeri, through their elected leaders, must be consulted and reassured about any such facility being operationalised near our borders,” he said.
The governor further urged the national government to provide detailed information on the facility’s objectives, funding arrangements, operational framework and long-term sustainability plans before any decision is implemented.
His remarks come amid growing opposition from leaders in the Mt Kenya region following reports of a proposed Ebola quarantine and treatment centre linked to ongoing discussions between Kenya and the United States on Ebola preparedness support. The controversy intensified after the High Court temporarily suspended the plan following legal challenges by civil society groups and health stakeholders.
The Ministry of Health has maintained that Kenya has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases and has instead focused on strengthening surveillance, laboratory testing, border screening, emergency response systems and public awareness campaigns following outbreaks in parts of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Health authorities say enhanced screening has been rolled out at airports and border points, national laboratories have been activated for Ebola testing, and rapid response teams remain on standby as the country seeks to prevent any cross-border transmission of the disease.
