Kenya Halts 50-Bed US-Backed Ebola Facility After Court Cites Minister for Contempt
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 23
Kenya Halts 50-Bed US-Backed Ebola Facility After Court Cites Minister for Contempt
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 23
Summary
Aden Duale told Kenya’s High Court he had ordered an “immediate and complete cessation” of work on the 50-bed Ebola isolation centre at Nanyuki after being found in contempt for letting construction continue.
Judge Patricia Nyaundi accepted his apology and discharged him with a stern warning, rejecting the government’s argument that post-order work was separate because it was being done by Kenya alone.
Satellite images from 20 June showed the site had expanded since 8 June, with more tents, paved access and additional cleared land, supporting claims that building continued despite last month’s stop order.
The US-backed facility, intended for American citizens suspected of Ebola infection during the DR Congo outbreak, has triggered protests in Nanyuki in which three people died as police dispersed demonstrators.
The dispute has widened into a political and public-health fight: rights groups and Kenya’s doctors’ union oppose the plan, while Washington has earmarked $13.5 million for Kenya’s Ebola preparedness within a $112 million regional response.
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High Court Stops US Ebola Facility in Kenya: Public Outcry, Legal Showdown, and Sovereignty at Stake
Overview
On June 22, 2026, Kenya’s High Court found Health Minister Aden Duale in contempt for ignoring previous orders to stop construction of the US-funded Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base. This ruling came after the government failed to follow legal procedures, including public consultation and full disclosure of the project’s details. As a result, all work at the site was immediately halted. The court’s decision highlights the importance of transparency and public involvement in major projects, especially when national sovereignty and public trust are at stake.