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Kenya’s Health Minister Aden Duale was ordered by Kenya’s High Court to halt construction of a 50‑bed quarantine facility in Nanyuki, built with U.S. assistance to isolate American travelers who may have been exposed to Ebola during the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite the injunction, Duale proceeded with the work, leading to a contempt of court ruling on Monday.
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The facility, which was to support Kenyan citizens against Ebola, sparked protests in the town of Nanyuki. Police efforts to disperse demonstrators resulted in three fatalities, including 17‑year‑old schoolboy Sylvester Muigai Ndung\u00f4, whose death was reported after police checked post‑mortem results. The incident raised concerns over the potential health risks posed by the centre, a point highlighted in the petition by the rights organisation Katiba Institute.
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A judge stated that the Ministry could not “recast or re‑characterise” the ongoing construction, affirming that the court order was a command to be obeyed. Duale was told to appear for sentencing on Tuesday.
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President William Ruto defended the project, citing a U.S. request for a quarantine facility and arguing that refusing could be “inhuman.” He urged Kenyan citizens to avoid politicising the serious matter of Ebola.
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The U.S. has earmarked $13.5 million of its larger $112 million commitment for regional Ebola preparedness. The Democratic Republic of Congo, with over 1,000 confirmed cases, and Uganda, with 20 confirmed cases primarily imported from Congo, remain the only countries currently reporting cases, while Kenya has yet to record any outbreak.
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The proposed centre has faced criticism from Kenya’s Medical and Dental Union (KMPDU), which challenged the decision to host a quarantine facility for an international disease not originating in the country. The union expresses concern that Kenya will be treated as a “containment colony.”
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