Kenya Defends US Ebola Quarantine Facility Amid Protests and Court Orders

Kenyan President William Ruto has defended his government's decision to allow the United States to build an Ebola quarantine facility in the country as satellite imagery reveals rapid construction, despite protests and court orders blocking the project.

The tented facility, located in Nanyuki, central Kenya, is designed as a 50-bed unit for Americans who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus.

The disease has infected hundreds in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of the current outbreak, and has spread to neighboring Uganda, which has reported 16 cases. The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the facility.

Speaking during a state visit to South Africa, President Ruto said, "I can tell you without fear of any contradiction, and I can look at everybody in the eye, ... and tell you we are doing the right thing."

He added, "It would be most unfortunate if on one request by the Americans to set up a facility at their cost, we would refuse, we would look very inhuman."

Satellite imagery indicates that construction at the Laikipia Air Base has progressed swiftly. Since May 27, an 11-acre block of land has been cleared, with a collection of connected white tents erected and tarmac laid by June 4.

Further structures, earth-moving equipment, and vehicles are visible in the cleared section, situated east of the runway. A witness reported more flights landing at the air base on Thursday, carrying people and heavy equipment.

The project has ignited significant local opposition, with at least two people killed earlier this week during protests in Nanyuki. Protesters have said they fear the facility will put local communities at risk and they question why Kenya should host a quarantine center for U.S. citizens.

The president said he approved the plan after a request from President Donald Trump and cited decades of cooperation between Kenya and the US on major health crises including HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and Ebola.

A Kenyan court first ordered work on the Ebola facility to be suspended on May 28. The US embassy in Nairobi has stated it is collaborating with the Kenyan government to address any objections.