Kenya halts construction of US-backed Ebola facility
The Kenyan Health Ministry has suspended construction of a controversial US-backed Ebola quarantine facility in the East African country after a court challenge raised questions over the legality of the project and its potential risks.
The move came after Health Minister Aden Duale appeared before the High Court in the capital, Nairobi, and apologized for defying an earlier court order to halt the project. A day earlier, on Monday, the minister was found guilty of contempt of court in a ruling by High Court Justice Patricia Nyaundi.
“The Cabinet Secretary [minister] also assured the court that all construction and site activities had been completely halted and expressed regret for any misunderstanding or perception of non-compliance with the court orders,” the ministry said on Tuesday.
Justice Nyaundi warned Duale against any further disobedience of court directives and discharged him without imposing any punishment.
The proposed quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, located about 200 km north of Nairobi, drew attention last month after Washington announced a $13.5 million initiative to boost Kenya’s Ebola preparedness amid a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nairobi-based non-profit legal watchdog the Katiba Institute filed a court petition in May, arguing that the project could pose a public health risk in a country that has never recorded a single case of Ebola.
Healthcare experts in the US, including former officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have also warned that the project presents “significant clinical, ethical, operational, and legal challenges.”
At least three people were reportedly killed earlier this month during protests in Nanyuki against the planned initiative.
On May 28, the Nairobi High Court barred the Kenyan government from proceeding with construction pending the determination of a petition filed by the Katiba Institute.
Despite the order, flights carrying medical equipment and specialist personnel have continued to arrive at the air base, Reuters reported, citing flight-tracking data as well as US and diplomatic sources.
On Tuesday, Kenyan Health Minister Duale told the court that decisions made by the Health Ministry “are guided by scientific evidence, technical advice, and strategic public health considerations.” He said, however, that “the proposed collaboration” between Nairobi and Washington in relation to the facility was suspended “immediately after the conservatory orders were issued.”
