NAIROBI, Kenya — A proposed United States-backed Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya has triggered growing political, legal, and public backlash, with doctors, lawyers, and civil society groups questioning the government’s decision to host Americans exposed to the deadly virus.
The controversy escalated after reports emerged that the US government plans to establish a quarantine and isolation facility at Laikipia Air Base for American citizens potentially exposed to Ebola during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has already caused hundreds of suspected infections and deaths in eastern DRC, while neighbouring Uganda has also recorded cases.
Kenya’s doctors’ union, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), has strongly opposed the proposal, warning that the country risks becoming what it termed a “containment colony” for a virus Kenya did not generate.
KMPDU Secretary-General Dr. Davji Atellah questioned why the US would choose Kenya instead of handling exposed patients within its own borders.
“We need total transparency from the Kenyan government on why they agreed to take up this offer,” Atellah told CNN, arguing that Kenya’s healthcare system remains underfunded and stretched.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also criticised the arrangement, saying it creates a double standard in global health safety. LSK President Charles Kanjama argued that if the US considers Ebola too dangerous to manage domestically, Kenya should apply the same standard to protect its citizens.
The backlash intensified after former Chief Justice David Maraga issued a public statement demanding full disclosure of any agreement involving the treatment of Ebola-exposed individuals in Kenya. Maraga warned that no international partnership should compromise Kenya’s sovereignty or public health safety.
He called on the Ministry of Health, Parliament, and the Executive to publicly release details of any arrangements, including infection-control protocols, liability measures, and safeguards for healthcare workers.
The Katiba Institute has already moved to court challenging the proposed facility, arguing that it bypassed constitutional safeguards, including public participation and parliamentary oversight. On Thursday, the High Court temporarily suspended the plan pending further hearings.
The US government has defended the proposal, saying the facility would provide rapid access to treatment and quarantine for Americans exposed during humanitarian or medical missions in the region.
Officials said the site would initially operate as a 50-bed quarantine centre staffed by the US Public Health Service, with severe cases later transferred to Europe for specialised care.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has confirmed ongoing discussions with the US and international partners, but has not publicly detailed the agreement. Health officials have maintained that Kenya currently has no confirmed Ebola cases and that surveillance systems remain active.
The debate has also exposed wider tensions over Kenya’s healthcare preparedness, foreign partnerships, and public trust in government decision-making.
Critics argue that the proposal comes at a time when Kenya is still grappling with healthcare financing challenges following recent reductions in US health aid commitments under a revised bilateral funding agreement.
