Health Minister Aden Duale disregarded a court order to halt construction of the proposed quarantine facility for U.S. nationals infected with Ebola.
Kenya’s High Court has ruled that Health Minister Aden Duale is in contempt for proceeding with construction of a quarantine facility for U.S. nationals infected with Ebola, contrary to court orders.
Justice Patricia Nyaundi Mande stated on Monday that Minister Aden Duale had initiated construction at the central Kenya site despite several orders issued in late May and early June to suspend work.
“The Court cannot allow its orders to be rendered ineffective,” she wrote, according to Reuters.
The facility was intended to accommodate U.S. nationals exposed to the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and was to be located at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki.
Although Kenya had recorded no infections, the proposal triggered widespread protests last month among hundreds of Kenyans opposed to the planned facility.
Civilians and health workers have voiced anger at the potential importation of the virus and criticized the Kenyan government’s acceptance of a $13.5 million U.S. Ebola preparedness contribution as an attempt to whitewash the agreement.
President William Ruto said he “approved” the site because it was part of an agreement and partnership with long‑standing friends of Kenya spanning three to four decades.
The court ordered construction to halt following complaints from the Katiba Institute, which argued that the centre was being built secretly and without stakeholder consultation.
The NGO has demanded disclosure of the agreement’s health and biosafety assessments, regulatory approvals, and operational protocols.
Notwithstanding the rulings, Duale insisted the facility would continue, telling parliament earlier this month that the government “will not stop it.”
Duale is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for mitigation and sentencing; contempt of court carries a maximum fine of 200,000 shillings ($1,500) and/or up to six months in prison.
The Ebola outbreak was confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May, resulting in 896 confirmed cases and at least 232 deaths as of June 17, according to the World Health Organization.
Uganda, Kenya’s neighbor, has reported 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths.
At least 75 healthcare workers in the DRC have contracted the virus, with 17 deaths recorded.
Kenyan doctors and medical professionals have been especially vocal about the proposed Nanyuki site, arguing it would threaten the country’s already fragile health system.
