Hundreds of protesters marched on Monday to the gates of the Laikipia air base, near Nanyuki in central Kenya, to denounce the creation of a quarantine center intended to receive people exposed to the Ebola virus, including American nationals.
This mobilization comes two days after a Kenyan High Court ruling suspending the establishment of the facility and the arrival of any foreign patients, pending the review of an appeal filed by the Kenyan Bar Association and a constitutional watchdog. The plaintiffs argue that the fragility of the Kenyan healthcare system makes it impossible to safely receive foreign patients who may be carrying the virus.
According to US officials, the United States is considering directing American citizens exposed to Ebola during trips abroad to this new center, rather than repatriating them to the US. Located at Laikipia Air Base, the facility was expected to be operational this week with a capacity of fifty quarantine beds.
In response to the controversy, Kenyan Health Minister Aden Duale stated on Sunday that the center would not be reserved for Americans only but would be open to "everyone." Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington planned to allocate $13.5 million to strengthen Kenya's preparedness for a potential Ebola outbreak.
