Lead
Kenya's Health Minister, Aden Duale, has ordered an immediate halt to all construction and site preparation for a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base, telling a court on Tuesday that he had directed the cessation of activities pending further judicial review. The announcement came a day after the High Court found Duale in contempt for failing to comply with earlier stop-work orders issued in late May and early June.
"I have directed the immediate and complete cessation of any intended construction, site preparation, or related activities concerning the Laikipia Air Base facility pending the hearing and determination of the substantive petition or until further orders of this court," Duale said during a sentencing hearing, as reported by multiple outlets including Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle.
Coverage comparison
The story was covered by several international news organisations, each placing a slightly different emphasis on events. Africa News focused on the minister's court statement and the fact that the United States had been building the facility to evacuate its citizens from areas affected by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Al Jazeera's reporting highlighted the contempt finding and the public backlash, noting that the court said it could not permit its orders to be "rendered hollow." Deutsche Welle and The Guardian both emphasised the violent protests and the three deaths near the facility, with The Guardian also noting that Duale apologised to the court.
Key claims
The facility, located about 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Nairobi near the town of Nanyuki, was intended to house up to 50 isolation beds and was expected to be managed by US medical staff. It was designed to treat US nationals who might contract Ebola amid the outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. Kenya has never recorded a case of Ebola, according to all reporting.
The plans, first announced in May, triggered significant domestic opposition. Protests involving hundreds of Kenyans took place, with civilians and healthcare workers expressing anger over the prospect of importing the virus. Three people were killed in unrest near the facility, as reported by Deutsche Welle, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera.
The Kenyan government had accepted a US contribution of $13.5 million for Ebola preparedness, a move that critics argued served to whitewash the deal. Rights groups, including the Katiba Institute, petitioned the court, arguing the facility was being developed secretly and without consultation.
Justice Patricia Nyaundi Mande discharged Duale without further punishment after receiving his assurance, but warned him against further disobedience, according to Deutsche Welle.
The Ebola outbreak was confirmed in DRC in May, with 896 confirmed cases and at least 232 deaths as of June 17, according to one report. Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths, the same report said. At least 75 healthcare workers in DRC have contracted the virus, with 17 deaths recorded.
Perspectives
The Kenyan government defended the project. President William Ruto said he "gave the okay" for the site "because it was an agreement and a partnership with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30, 40 years," as quoted by Al Jazeera. The government initially disregarded court orders to stop work, according to The Guardian.
Opponents, including Kenyan doctors and medical professionals, argued the facility would threaten the country's already fragile health system, as reported by Al Jazeera. Rights groups maintained that the project was being developed secretly and without consultation, and demanded details of the deal, including health and biosafety assessments, regulatory approvals, and operational procedures, according to Al Jazeera.