Kenya has suspended construction of a controversial US-funded Ebola quarantine centre after the High Court in Nairobi found Health Minister Aden Duale in contempt of court for defying a previous order to stop work. The facility, a 50-bed isolation unit at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki, was intended to house American citizens potentially exposed to Ebola during response operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other affected countries in the region.
On Tuesday, Duale appeared before the court and announced that he had ordered “the immediate and complete cessation” of all construction and related activities at the site, pending the outcome of a legal challenge brought by the rights group Katiba Institute. The move marks a significant reversal after weeks of political and public pressure over the project, which critics say was initiated without sufficient public consultation and raises questions about Kenya's role in managing health risks beyond its borders.
Court Ruling and Ministerial Apology
The High Court had ordered the government on 28 May to halt construction until it could hear the petition. However, judges ruled on Monday that work had continued despite the order. Judge Patricia Nyaundi stated, “I find that in commissioning the ongoing construction of the facility at Laikipia, the 2nd respondent is in continuing contempt of the orders of the court.”
Duale apologised to the court and denied intentionally defying the judiciary. “I sincerely regret any action or omission, misunderstanding or misinterpretation that may have resulted in non-compliance of the order of this court or created the perception thereof,” he said. He added that he would be “the last person to defy a court order”. The government had argued that it believed the court order applied only to the proposed partnership with the United States, not to broader Ebola preparedness measures. Judge Nyaundi rejected that interpretation, stating that a court order “is not an invitation to ingenuity – it is a command to be obeyed”.
The project has generated strong opposition in Kenya, with critics questioning why the country should host a quarantine centre for Americans when Kenya has never recorded an Ebola case. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union declared that it “will not sit back and watch Kenya be treated as a containment colony for a lethal pathogen that we did not generate”. Public anger led to demonstrations in Laikipia County, where at least three people have died during protests linked to the facility. Rights groups and witnesses have accused police of using excessive force, although authorities say investigations into the deaths are continuing.
Despite ordering construction to stop, Kenyan officials continue to defend the need for Ebola preparedness measures. Duale told the court that his decisions were “based on science, technical advice and strategic interventions” and argued that fears surrounding the facility were “scientifically unfounded”.
The controversy highlights broader tensions in Africa over health sovereignty and the role of external powers in pandemic response. Similar debates have emerged elsewhere on the continent, including in the context of Albanian protests against a US-backed resort that raised questions about foreign influence and environmental rules. Meanwhile, global health authorities are monitoring Ebola risks, as seen in World Cup 2026 health preparations and WHO Europe's reassurances to fans amid US pushes for travel bans.
The case now returns to the High Court for further hearings on the substantive petition. The outcome will likely shape Kenya's future engagement with international health partnerships and the balance between public health preparedness and democratic accountability.
