Several people were arrested on Tuesday as fresh protests broke out in Nanyuki over the construction of a US-funded Ebola quarantine facility at the Laikipia Air Base.
The facility, which is being established near the tourist town under the foothills of Mount Kenya, is intended to quarantine American citizens arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where a significant Ebola outbreak is currently underway.
Demonstrators gathered near the military base carrying placards, wearing protective gear, and displaying a symbolic coffin marked “Ebola” to express their opposition to the project. Police moved in to disperse the protesters, firing tear gas and arresting several individuals, according to journalists on the scene.
Many residents have voiced concerns about the decision to host the facility, arguing that Kenya has never recorded a case of Ebola and should not risk importing potential carriers of the deadly disease.
“We don’t have that disease in this country. They are bringing a virus into our country,” said 30-year-old protester Zipporah Wachira.
The quarantine centre is expected to accommodate up to 50 isolation beds and will reportedly be managed by American personnel. Construction was nearing completion before a temporary suspension order was issued by the High Court.
The project has sparked controversy since it was announced, with local leaders and residents in Laikipia County strongly opposing its establishment. Similar demonstrations were held on June 1, with rights groups reporting that two people died during the unrest, although the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear.
Despite the opposition, the administration of William Ruto has defended the project, citing the long-standing health partnership between Kenya and the United States.
Speaking last week, President Ruto said Kenya could not ignore a request from a partner nation that has supported the country’s healthcare sector for decades.
“The American people and government have been partners with us on matters of health for close to 25 to 30 years,” Ruto said. “It would be most unfortunate if, on one request by the Americans to set up a facility at their cost, we would refuse.”
The government has also maintained that the facility will not exclusively serve Americans. Health officials have stated that Kenyans would also benefit from the enhanced disease surveillance, isolation, and emergency response capabilities the centre is expected to provide.
The United States has pledged $13.5 million to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts amid growing concerns over the outbreak in the DRC.
According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak in the DRC has resulted in 515 confirmed infections and 91 deaths, prompting the declaration of an international public health emergency.
While fears of regional transmission remain high, neighbouring Uganda is the only country outside the DRC to have reported confirmed Ebola cases, recording 19 infections, most involving Congolese nationals who crossed the border.
The planned facility remains the subject of ongoing legal and political disputes as opposition from local communities continues to grow.
