Kenyan Court Blocks US Ebola Quarantine Facility for Another Three Weeks, Orders Disclosure of Agreement

A Kenyan court has blocked for another three weeks a proposed United States Ebola quarantine facility that has triggered protests in which two people were killed, and ordered the government to disclose its agreement with Washington. The proposed 50-bed unit on an air force base in central Kenya, intended for Americans exposed to the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda, has angered many Kenyans who accuse the US of offloading the health risk of caring for patients. 

Kenyan High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi on Tuesday issued an order barring the Kenyan government from taking any steps to build or begin operations at the facility in the town of Nanyuki before the case is resolved. The judge also ordered the government to disclose all agreements and operational protocols related to the facility within seven days and scheduled the next hearing for June 23.

A Kenyan court had last week temporarily suspended the plan in response to a lawsuit from a legal advocacy group. However, US military aircraft have continued to fly in staff and equipment in recent days, according to a US official and diplomatic sources. 

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Hundreds protested against the plan in Nanyuki on Monday, with protest organiser Patrick Wahome stating that two people were killed by gunshot wounds after police opened fire. Media reports confirmed two deaths but did not specify the cause, while police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said he was not aware of the deaths. On Monday, Kenyan President William Ruto defended the agreement, saying the facility was part of a wider national preparedness plan and a long-running health partnership with Washington.