Kenyan activists have alleged that government officials violated a court order prohibiting the establishment of an American-supported Ebola quarantine center after reports emerged of U.S. citizens being isolated in the country. The facility, intended to house Americans evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak, has reportedly begun operations despite legal restrictions.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s outbreak, which began two months ago, has resulted in 930 deaths among 2,344 confirmed cases. A U.S. humanitarian organization, Samaritan’s Purse, confirmed that seven American staff members from Congo are currently quarantined in military tents at an undisclosed location in Kenya for 21 days. The organization stated that none of the individuals have displayed Ebola symptoms.
Local reports indicate the quarantine site may be located at Laikipia Air Base, approximately 185 kilometers north of Nairobi. Recent protests by Nanyuki residents against the facility turned deadly, leaving two people killed. Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the U.S. State Department have not responded to inquiries about the facility’s operations.
President William Ruto has endorsed the U.S.-backed initiative as part of a partnership to enhance Ebola preparedness, with plans to establish 24 additional centers nationwide. However, a court injunction issued last month halted construction after the Law Society of Kenya and the Katiba Institute argued that the facility could strain the country’s healthcare infrastructure during a potential outbreak.
Katiba Institute’s director Nora Mbagathi emphasized concerns over reports of active quarantine operations, warning that officials violating court orders should face consequences. Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham described the compound as a fenced gravel area with military cots and food supplied by the U.S. military but did not address the legal conflict.
