Kenya’s government will move forward with plans to establish a U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine centre at Laikipia Air Base despite a court order temporarily suspending the project and protests that left two people dead earlier this week, Health Minister Aden Duale told parliament.
Duale defended the facility, rejecting claims that it would be reserved for foreign nationals and insisting it would serve both Kenyans and Americans requiring isolation and treatment in the event of Ebola exposure.
The proposed centre, located approximately 200 kilometres north of Nairobi, has become the focus of growing public concern, with critics questioning the purpose of the facility and raising fears about potential health risks to surrounding communities.
Addressing lawmakers, Duale said the project is part of a long-standing health cooperation framework between Kenya and the United States under a 2015 bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening disease preparedness and response capabilities.
The facility is also linked to regional efforts to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, which health authorities say poses a cross-border public health threat.
The government’s position comes despite a court order halting the centre’s opening pending legal challenges and public objections. Demonstrations against the project turned violent earlier this week, resulting in the deaths of two people and highlighting deep divisions over the plan.
Kenyan officials maintain the quarantine centre is intended to bolster national and regional health security by providing a dedicated facility for managing suspected Ebola cases and preventing wider transmission during outbreaks.
The controversy has sparked a broader debate over public consultation, transparency, and the role of foreign-funded health infrastructure projects in Kenya. Government officials have pledged continued engagement with local communities while pursuing the project through legal channels.
No date has been announced for the facility’s opening as court proceedings continue.
