Kenya faces backlash over proposed U.S.-funded Ebola facility

Protests against a planned U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya have intensified, leaving one person reportedly dead and prompting legal challenges. The controversial project, designed to host American nationals arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has sparked fears over public health and national sovereignty.

Demonstrators gathered near Laikipia Air Base and in central Nairobi to oppose the proposed quarantine centre. Activists accused the Kenyan government of allowing the United States to use Kenyan territory to isolate Ebola patients despite the country's limited health resources.

Rights group VOCAL Africa reported that a 27-year-old man was shot and killed during clashes with police near the facility. Authorities and emergency responders were unable to immediately confirm the death, although the Kenya Red Cross said it had received reports of injuries.

Protesters also submitted a petition to the Ministry of Health demanding that the government reject the U.S. request to establish the facility.

Concerns over capacity

Opponents argue that Kenya lacks the infrastructure and resources needed to safely manage a quarantine centre for Ebola patients. Some protesters questioned why the United States was seeking to establish the facility abroad rather than on its own soil.

The planned centre would have 50 isolation beds and be staffed by American medical personnel. Washington has also pledged 13.5 million dollars to support Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts.

Government defends project

President William Ruto has defended the proposal, describing it as part of Kenya's broader disease preparedness strategy. He said the facility would serve both Kenyans and international partners and insisted the government understood the implications of the project.

Ruto dismissed public concerns, saying the centre was neither unique nor exceptional but part of a national system designed to respond to health emergencies.

Court orders disclosure

The controversy has also moved into the courts. Kenya's High Court extended a temporary suspension of the project and ordered the government to disclose all agreements related to the facility within seven days.

The legal challenge was filed by the Katiba Institute, which argues that greater transparency is needed before the project can proceed.

Regional Ebola threat

Kenya has not recorded any Ebola cases despite extensive screening of travellers. However, neighbouring Uganda has confirmed infections linked to the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 Ebola cases and dozens of deaths have been recorded in the DRC since the outbreak was declared in May. One American citizen infected while working as a medical missionary in the DRC has been evacuated to Germany for treatment.

The proposed Kenyan facility has also drawn criticism in the United States, where some lawmakers argue that Americans infected abroad should be treated at home rather than in a third country.