Around 20 flights carrying medical equipment and specialist personnel have landed at Laikipia Air Base, where the United States (US) is continuing work on a disputed Ebola quarantine facility, according to Reuters.
The deliveries include doctors, engineers, laboratory experts, construction workers, and specialised equipment intended for a 50-bed isolation unit. The facility is designed to temporarily house American citizens who may have been exposed to Ebola, amid ongoing outbreaks in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The project has triggered protests and legal challenges in Kenya, where at least two people have reportedly died during demonstrations in Nanyuki, the home of the airbase. A Kenyan court initially halted construction on May 28 and later extended the suspension, ordering the government to disclose details of the agreement with the US.
Despite the ruling, flight-tracking data indicates that US military aircraft, including C-130 and C-17 transport planes, continued to land at the base, with several flights recorded after the court order.
A US official quoted by Reuters said about 20 flights arrived between May 23 and May 31, bringing in equipment and personnel, but no patients. The official added that operations briefly paused due to uncertainty over the court order before resuming after Kenyan authorities signalled that preparations could continue.
The US embassy in Nairobi said it was aware of the court proceedings and was engaging Kenyan authorities to resolve concerns. President William Ruto has defended the project, saying it is part of Kenya’s broader Ebola preparedness efforts and reflects long-standing cooperation with the United States in public health.
However, a US diplomatic cable seen by Reuters suggested that Kenyan authorities may have underestimated the scale of domestic opposition, which has added pressure amid existing economic and political tensions.
The cable also noted that continued construction despite the court injunction has intensified criticism of the project.
Under the current plan, the quarantine facility would hold US citizens considered at high risk of Ebola exposure for a 21-day isolation period, while those who develop symptoms would be transferred elsewhere for treatment. Kenyan officials have said the facility would also serve local populations, though US statements indicate priority would be given to American citizens.
The project has also faced scrutiny in the US, where some health experts have raised concerns that offshore quarantine arrangements could discourage deployment of frontline responders to outbreak zones and weaken global response efforts.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has not issued an official report on the matter.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, while speaking in Parliament, said the agreement was brokered in 2017 and duly signed. He noted that the Laikipia facility is to be managed by the Kenya Defence Forces and forms part of 23 designated sites being established across the country to support Ebola preparedness and response.
Despite these assurances, sections of leaders have continued to criticise the move, arguing that it could expose Kenyans to risk. Kenya, however, has not reported any confirmed Ebola cases to date.
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