Take them home: Ebola centre deal met with fire and brimstone

Health workers stand in a new Ebola treatment center during a visit of WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Bunia, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 31, 2026. [AFP]

The plan to set up an Ebola isolation centre in Kenya has elicited a political firestorm in the country and abroad, even as the Courts on Tuesday ordered the government to lift the lid on its Ebola quarantine deal with the USA.

On a day that opposition leaders drawn from the Mt Kenya region criticised President William Ruto for assenting to the deal that would see American citizens exposed to the deadly Ebola virus isolated at the Laikipia facility, Healthcare officials in the US also warned Congress against adopting a proposed policy to treat Americans exposed to Ebola in Kenya or countries in the European Union.

According to reports by Reuters, officials, including former Centres for Disease Control and Prevention infectious disease physician Krutika Kuppalli, emergency physicians Debra Houry and Craig Spencer, and epidemiologist Anne Schuchat, argued in an open letter to Congress that the policy would be a departure from the longstanding practice of medical repatriation and raise serious clinical risks.

“This policy raises profound clinical, ethical, operational, and legal concerns,” the letter read in part, adding that such measures could discourage frontline responders from deploying to regions affected by outbreaks and undermine global response efforts.

“At a time when outbreak response efforts are already strained, this is a dangerous precedent. We are equally concerned about the diversion of resources toward establishing ad hoc quarantine, isolation and treatment infrastructure overseas rather than directing urgently needed resources toward controlling the outbreak at its source.”

Their concerns emanate from a last week declaration by the President Donald Trump administration that it was setting up the quarantine facility in Kenya and the U.S government would not bring its citizens back home if they developed symptoms, but instead send them to a third country, as the government seeks to keep all cases out of U.S. soil. 

Back home, the ripple effects of the secretive deal continue to reverberate across the country, forcing the intervention of the Courts. Yesterday, the High Court in Nairobi ordered the Kenya Kwanza government to disclose the Sh1.7 billion deal with the US for Ebola quarantine facilities to the public within seven days.

Further, Justice Patricia Nyaundi extended her orders to now block the President William Ruto-led administration from either accepting or entertaining Americans or foreigners who are infected by the deadly virus into the country until the cases separately filed by the Katiba Institute, the Law Society of Kenya, and Fred Isaboke are heard and determined.

She observed that the Attorney General Dorcas Oduor or her representatives had failed to appear in the Katiba case or respond despite being served with the court papers.

“I am satisfied that the notice of motion was served by Michael Kioko. The respondent has failed to respond and appear. The order will be issued in terms of H and I. The second respondent will furnish the public with the agreement within seven days and file responses,” ruled Justice Nyaundi.

Courts on Tuesday ordered the government to lift the lid on its Ebola quarantine deal with the USA.

However, the AG and the Ministry of Health were represented by Thande Kuria in the other two cases.

Katiba’s lawyer, Malidzo Nyawa, told Justice Nyaundi that it was unfortunate that the government had opted to stay silent despite claims that it was constructing the controversial quarantine facility at the Laikipia Military base.

“It is disappointing that the AG has decided to give these cases a wide berth. We physically served them. We have been unable to access the barracks despite the information that the facility is being built, even with the court orders stopping the exercise,” said Nyawa.

On the other hand, Charles Kanjama, Wathuta Mwangi and Jacjohn Owino insisted that there was a need to compel the government to disclose the details of the deal.

In this case, Katiba argued it was ironic for the Ministry of Health officials to accept a disease that would kill and cause problems to the public, owing to the government’s self-sacrifice to the USA.

The rights lobby group asserted that despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that the disease emanating from Congo is a moving killer with no approved cure and with limited treatment options, Kenya Kwanza opted to risk Kenyans’ lives for a secret deal, which was unmasked by the New York Times, causing an uproar that prompted the Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to admit in response.

The development came barely hours after President William Ruto confessed to have okayed a deal with the U.S in a bid to put to an end the debate on the establishment of the controversial quarantine facility in Kenya.

Speaking to journalists in Wajir during Madaraka Day celebration, Ruto confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration reached out to him, requesting the establishment of the quarantine facility in Laikipia air base.

The Head of State said the 50-bed facility is part of a wider preparedness plan and partnership between the Kenyan and American governments.

“When President Trump asked the government of Kenya to support them by having a centre in Laikipia Airbase, I gave an okay because it was an agreement and partnership with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30 to 40 years,” said Ruto, noting that his decision was a result of a mutual benefit for both countries.

“What the American government is doing is to work with us in partnership to build capacity to make sure if ever we need a facility, that facility will be there to serve the people of Kenya, and to serve our friends, including Americans,” said the president.

His sentiments, however, appeared to contradict those made by White House, which announced that the facility will only serve Americans exposed to Ebola, and will be manned by Americans.

So far, the government has set up isolation centres at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Kenya Police hospital in Nairobi, Moi Teaching and Referal Hospital (MTRH), KNH Thika branch, and Alupe in Busia.

The facilities are currently screening suspected cases, and if any positive cases are identified, they shall be swiftly isolated to avoid the disease. The deal has however been opposed by health experts, political leaders, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Kenyans at large who staged a two day protest over the same.

“I want to ask those who are questioning our preparedness to make sure we deal with the challenge, if ever it gets to the country,” said the president.

“We have security serving in Congo DRC, thousands of Kenyans are in DRC, and if, for whatever reasons, they were to become victims of Ebola, we would have a responsibility as a country to treat them, we would have a responsibility to our citizens to make sure that we take care of them,” emphasised President Ruto.

But in response, the opposition has launched a scathing attack against the President, accusing him of compromising Kenyans’ health and having skewed priorities. Through a joint press statement released yesterday, the leaders sought to understand President Ruto’s strategic National interests in terms of health and Safety of Kenyans, and further questioned his principles.

 “If the United States of America, with a working healthcare system as compared to our poor healthcare infrastructure, has categorically stopped its citizens exposed to Ebola from setting foot in America, why are you exposing Kenyans? Why Nanyuki? In terms of Natural Resources, are you willing to make a public disclosure of the Mineral Deposits that are seemingly attracting International interests?” posed the leaders through a statement signed by DCP Secretary General Designate John Methu.

 “We join the people of Kenya, the Health professionals in saying NO to this Ebola facility in Nanyuki or elsewhere within the territory of the Republic of Kenya. Kenyans’ interests must come first, Mr President!” added Methu.