Fury Erupts in Laikipia: Kenyans Protest Against US Ebola Centre, Citing Risks

A significant controversy has erupted in Kenya over a proposed United States-built Ebola quarantine, monitoring, and treatment facility at the Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki. This project has sparked widespread protests from local residents and a robust legal challenge from the County Government of Laikipia, which argues the facility poses substantial risks and was conceived without adequate public consultation. Activists have taken to the streets, chanting slogans, carrying placards, and even a mock coffin, with one protest on June 2, 2026, in Nairobi and several Kenyans arrested during recent demonstrations in Nanyuki.

The County Government of Laikipia has formally urged the High Court to block the establishment of the facility, filing a replying affidavit before the Milimani High Court. Albert Taiti, Laikipia County Executive Committee Member for Health, stated that the county government was not consulted before the National Government identified and announced the Laikipia Air Base as the proposed site. Taiti emphasized that the project directly affects the county's residents, institutions, public health systems, environment, emergency response structures, and governance framework, given its location within Laikipia County.

While acknowledging the importance of national disease surveillance, the county government stressed that decisions concerning highly infectious diseases like Ebola demand the highest standards of transparency, scientific assessment, stakeholder engagement, and constitutional compliance. Taiti deponed that the National Government failed to provide adequate opportunity for the 4th Interested Party (presumably the county) to participate in crucial aspects such as site evaluation, risk assessment, contingency planning, or emergency response coordination related to the proposed facility.

Major concerns raised by the county include the inadequacy of its 160 health facilities, which serve over 518,537 people, to handle an Ebola outbreak. The county's Community Health Strategy highlights chronic underfunding and pandemic preparedness gaps as significant challenges. Furthermore, specific worries were voiced regarding Laikipia Airbase Primary School and Laikipia Airbase Junior School, both situated within the earmarked installation. Taiti stated that no Child Impact Assessment, school safety assessment, or emergency evacuation framework had been undertaken prior to site selection, asserting that the welfare, safety, security, and learning environment of these children should be an overriding consideration.

The economic ramifications are also a critical point of contention. The county government reported that hotels were already experiencing tourist cancellations, and the facility's proximity to world-famous conservancies, including Ol Pejeta and Ol Jogi, threatened the tourism sector—the backbone of the local economy. Taiti described the selection of Laikipia as reckless, given the county’s heavy reliance on this fragile industry.

Public opposition has been fervent, with residents protesting in Nanyuki over the lack of public participation. During recent demonstrations against the center, which aims to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), police arrested several individuals and deployed tear gas to disperse crowds. Protesters, some wearing protective equipment, carried a coffin inscribed with “Ebola,” highlighting fears of the disease being brought into a country that has never recorded a case. Rights groups also reported two deaths from earlier protests on June 1, though the circumstances remain unclear.

Despite the strong opposition and a temporary pause order from Kenya's High Court, President William Ruto's government has vowed to press ahead with the project. President Ruto justified the decision by citing the US's long-standing partnership and aid to Kenya for over 25-30 years in health matters, stating it would be “most unfortunate” and “very inhuman” to refuse a facility built at America's cost. Kenya's health minister has also insisted that the facility would serve Kenyans in addition to Americans.

The US-built center is designed with 50 isolation beds and is expected to be managed by US staff. Washington has pledged $13.5 million towards Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts. This initiative follows a controversial health deal between the two nations last year, where Kenya reportedly agreed to provide vast amounts of health data to the US in exchange for billions of dollars in aid.

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international health emergency over the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has seen 515 confirmed infections and 91 deaths. While fears of regional spread persist, only neighboring Uganda has recorded cases, totaling 19, mostly involving Congolese nationals who crossed the border. Kenya, however, has maintained a record of zero Ebola cases, making the prospect of hosting a quarantine facility a significant public health concern for many.

Laikipia County is actively supporting the petitioners, Katiba Institute and the LSK, in their case against the Attorney General, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs. The county implores the High Court to ensure that any decision regarding the proposed facility adheres to constitutional principles, public participation requirements, intergovernmental consultation obligations, and stringent public health safeguards.