Kenya’s government is pushing back against opposition to a $13 million U.S.-funded Ebola isolation unit at Laikipia Air Base, arguing the facility is Kenyan-run and part of a broader preparedness effort. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the center is meant for Kenyan security personnel and Americans but will treat any patient nationwide. The defense comes as a High Court judge suspended the plan on May 29—an order extended on June 2—and after two people were killed by gunshots during protests in nearby Nanyuki.
Why the facility sparked controversy
The court order requires the government to disclose all agreements related to the facility within seven days. Despite that, U.S. equipment and specialists continue to arrive at the base. Protesters in Nanyuki, a town near Laikipia, have voiced anger over what they see as a foreign military-backed health project. A protest organizer confirmed that two people were shot dead during demonstrations. The court is set to reconvene on June 23 to hear arguments on whether the suspension should remain.
Government’s legal and health justification
Duale cited Sections 35 and 36 of Kenya’s Public Health Act as the legal basis for his powers during an epidemic. He noted that over 23 years of U.S. health cooperation in Kenya includes the PEPFAR program, which has invested at least $8 billion in HIV response since 2003. The $13 million, Duale said, is preparedness funding for the wider Ebola response, not just one site. It follows a call between President William Ruto and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Duale also argued that Kenya has obligations due to thousands of Kenyans living or working in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 450 soldiers deployed there under a UN peace mission.
The wider Ebola threat and preparedness
The isolation unit is linked to an Ebola outbreak in the DRC—the Bundibugyo strain—which the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency on May 17. There is no licensed vaccine for this strain. Kenya has so far screened more than 72,000 travelers at 26 ports of entry and detected zero domestic Ebola cases. The government says the Laikipia facility is one of 23 such centers being set up nationwide. Duale stressed that the unit would serve any patient needing isolation, not just those at the base.
What happens next
The High Court will hear the case again on June 23, and the government must hand over all agreements by that date. Meanwhile, U.S. shipments keep arriving, and anger in Nanyuki shows no sign of fading. The key question remains: will the court allow the facility to proceed, or will the opposition force a rethink of how Kenya handles foreign-backed health security projects?
