Kenyan citizens protest proposed US Ebola quarantine facility construction

Hundreds Gather to Protest Planned Ebola Quarantine Facility in Kenya

A crowd of approximately 100 people gathered on roads leading to the Laikipia airbase in central Kenya on Monday, protesting a planned Ebola quarantine facility. The demonstration comes days after Kenya’s High Court ordered the suspension of the plan.

The proposed facility, which would serve US citizens exposed to the virus but still asymptomatic, has sparked concerns among Kenyans. A lawsuit filed by local residents argued that the site could pose a risk to public health due to Kenya’s fragile healthcare system and lack of transparency in the agreement.

US officials have stated that they plan to commit $13.5 million towards Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts. However, few details regarding the planned centre have been released.

Health Minister Aden Duale has stated that the quarantine centre is intended for “everyone” and not exclusively for US nationals. Despite the court order suspending the facility, military aircraft were seen arriving and departing from Nanyuki late last week and over the weekend.

Organizers of the protest, including Patrick Wahome and Malin Ndegwa, expressed concerns about the potential risks to local residents. “We are picketing for our lives,” said Wahome. “Nanyuki is a very small town, and if anyone is infected, we are all infected.”

The protesters also questioned why the facility would be built in Kenya rather than in countries closer to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The demonstration was peaceful, with participants blowing whistles and some riding atop a pickup truck.

Source: Al Jazeera