A Kenyan court has temporarily blocked the opening of a U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine facility for American citizens exposed to the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The High Court in Nairobi issued a conservatory order on Friday, halting the facility's establishment until a hearing scheduled for June 2. The facility, planned for Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya, was intended to monitor asymptomatic U.S. nationals before transferring symptomatic patients to other countries for treatment.
The U.S. and Kenyan governments had reached an agreement allowing Washington to establish the center, with the Trump administration committing $13.5 million to Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts. However, the Katiba Institute and the Kenya Law Society challenged the plan, arguing it was established in a "secretive, unilateral" manner that violated constitutional rights and lacked public participation. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Pharmacists' Union also criticized the facility, stating that if Ebola was too dangerous for the U.S., it should not be allowed in Kenya.
The facility sparked controversy due to concerns over public health risks and the lack of high-containment infrastructure in Kenya. The court's order temporarily bars the facility from opening until the case is resolved.