Kenyan President: US plan to build Ebola facility in Kenya is the 'right thing'

JOHANNESBURG – William Ruto on Thursday said his government was “doing the right thing” by allowing the United States to establish an Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya, amid legal challenges and public protests.

Satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters showed that U.S. authorities are rapidly developing the facility at a military installation in central Kenya, despite a Kenyan court order temporarily halting construction and objections from local residents.

The temporary tented facility in Nanyuki is planned to include a 50-bed isolation unit for U.S. citizens who may have been exposed to Ebola. The virus has infected hundreds in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which remains the center of the outbreak. Cases have also been reported in nearby Uganda.

Ruto defended the arrangement during a press briefing in Johannesburg as part of his state visit, saying Kenya was acting responsibly by cooperating with the United States.

“It would be most unfortunate if, on a request by the Americans to set up a facility at their cost, we refused. It would be inhumane,” Ruto said.

A U.S. administration official told Reuters that Washington plans to provide transport, including air evacuation if necessary, for Americans in the region who may need to be transferred to the isolation site. The official added that no transfers have been scheduled so far.

Satellite images indicate that since May 27, approximately 0.046 square kilometers (11 acres) of land within the Laikipia Air Base have been cleared for the project. By June 4, multiple connected white tents were visible, along with newly laid tarmac and construction equipment.

Additional structures and heavy machinery were also observed in the secured area east of the runway. Eyewitnesses reported increased aircraft activity at the base, including flights carrying personnel and equipment.

The development has sparked controversy in Kenya, with at least two deaths reported earlier this week during protests in Nanyuki opposing the facility. A Kenyan court first ordered a suspension of construction on May 28, while the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has said it is working with Kenyan authorities to address concerns and legal objections.

— Reporting by Reuters