Kenyans fearful and furious over US Ebola centre

Activists chant slogans as they carry placards and a mock coffin during a protest against a US-built Ebola quarantine centre planned to begin operations at Kenya's Laikipia Air Base, in Nairobi on June 2, 2026. [AFP]

In a town overlooked by picturesque Mount Kenya, locals are angry and afraid over their government allowing the United States to build an Ebola facility in their midst.

The centre at Laikipia Air Base, hidden behind huge grey walls, is set to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is battling a major Ebola outbreak.

Kenya has never recorded a single case of Ebola, so people in the surrounding tourist town of Nanyuki wonder why the United States should be allowed to fly in potential carriers of the highly contagious disease.

"It is endangering our lives and our business," said Nicholas, 42, a souvenir vendor who did not want to give his surname for fear of reprisals.

"We are scared, we don't know why (they chose) Laikipia," he said.

A US diplomatic source said the facility, which will have 50 isolation beds and be managed by US staff, was nearing completion and currently had no patients.

US military planes have been bringing equipment to the base, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of the capital Nairobi. Data from the Flightradar24 tracking website showed at least nine had arrived since May 24.

There is anger at the neo-colonial overtones of Washington refusing to allow Ebola patients into its own territory, but happy to send them to Kenya.

Laikipia is already home to a long-standing British army base that has brought added prosperity to the area, but also been linked to incidents of rape and even murder of local women.

"The proposed establishment of the Ebola quarantine hospital in Laikipia is against the Madaraka (self-governance) principle... That is neo-colonialism," said county governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior in a speech.

'Inhuman'

Hundreds protested outside the base earlier this week, with a rights group saying two people died, though the circumstances of their deaths remain unclear.

Kenya's leaders are unmoved.

"The American people and government have been partners with us on matters of health for close to 25-30 years," President William Ruto told reporters on Thursday.

"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."

It follows a controversial health deal between the two countries last year, in which Kenya agreed to hand over vast amounts of health data to the US in exchange for billions of dollars in aid.

Washington has pledged $13.5 million to Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts and Kenyan health minister Aden Duale told parliament he "will not stop" the quarantine centre, despite a halt order from the High Court.

Opposition to the facility has combined with long-running anger towards Ruto, and could yet spiral. Plans have been announced for another protest outside the base on Tuesday.

In a bid to defuse the anger, the government has said it will also serve Kenyans, though that has not been the message from Washington.

There are fears that Kenya's limited healthcare system would struggle with a serious outbreak.

"As a still-developing country, we have limited containment capacity... Our public health sector is in shambles," said a nurse in Nairobi, who asked for anonymity.

Locals in Nanyuki are simply angry that the US is refusing to take Ebola patients to their own shores.

"I think it should just be in America because they have all the facilities to take care of that," said student Atho Halakhe, 26.