25/06/2026 20:28 - Internacionales
Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale ordered on Tuesday, June 24, 2026 the immediate and complete suspension of all construction and site preparation for a US-run Ebola quarantine center at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, approximately 200 km (124 miles) north of Nairobi.
The decision came after the High Court declared Duale in contempt of court for ignoring a previous order from the prior month to halt the works. Judge Patricia Nyaundi Mande released the minister with a warning against future disobedience.
Demonstrations against the quarantine center left a tragic toll:
The project included:
The proposal sparked intense public opposition. Residents of Nanyuki, an agricultural town of over 70,000 inhabitants located nearly directly on the equator, expressed fear that the virus could spread in their community.
Charles Mathenge, local taxi driver:
"Everyone should be quarantined in their own country. We shouldn't allow foreigners to bring us diseases. Kenya is our country and we should protect it."
Kenya has never recorded an Ebola case, and many citizens believe the project unnecessarily exposes the country to the highly contagious disease.
David Mulinge, souvenir seller:
"The shocking thing is that Americans don't want their infected citizens entering their own country, but want to send them to Kenya. That's treating us as inferior beings."
The context is an Ebola outbreak declared on May 15, 2026 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency of international concern two days later.
| Country | Confirmed Cases | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| DRC | Over 1,000 (as of June 20, 2026) | Over 250 |
| Uganda | 20 (as of June 6, 2026) | 2 |
| Kenya | 0 | 0 |
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, a rare variety of the virus for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. Experts believe the virus circulated undetected for weeks before the official declaration.
Models from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest this outbreak could become the largest in history, surpassing the West Africa outbreak (2014-2016) which infected over 28,000 people and caused more than 11,000 deaths.
The US decision not to allow citizens with Ebola to enter their country marked a radical change from previous outbreaks, when the US repatriated its nationals for treatment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on May 28: "We cannot and will not allow any Ebola cases to enter the United States."
In contrast, in May 2026, an American doctor who contracted Ebola in DRC was transferred to Germany for medical care, along with his wife and four children.
Dr. Davji Atellah, Kenya Medical Association:
"If it's too dangerous for the United States, it's too dangerous for Kenya. We won't stand by watching Kenya treated as a containment colony."
In Bunia, capital of Ituri province, residents face the economic consequences of the outbreak. Businesses closed due to fear of virus spread through high-contact operations.
Sylvie Guilaine, used clothing seller, had to switch occupations to become a mason's assistant. "Ebola doesn't like dirt. It likes cleanliness. But it kills entire families: five, six, seven people. That's what I fear."
Yves Buakya, motorcycle taxi driver, saw his income drop dramatically. "Before, two passengers could share the motorcycle. Now they refuse. Some prefer to walk. I spend hours waiting."
Healthcare workers face shortages of basic protective equipment. The International Rescue Committee warned that supplies could run out within days due to border closures with Uganda and Rwanda, where many materials come from.
In Bunia, misinformation complicates containment efforts. Some residents believe the outbreak is fake or was created by health workers to obtain funding.
Dr. Yazid Yassine, Elikya Hospital:
"Misinformation has been abundant. People say Ebola was created by health workers to get funding. Others say it's poisoning. When we go to the community, people watch our movements. During this period, you can't buy a motorcycle. They'll say: 'That's Ebola money.'"
As of June 10, 2026, 34 healthcare workers had been infected with the virus and 7 had died. The Africa CDC reported that only a quarter of critical supplies needed for the next three months had reached DRC and Uganda.
Despite public opposition, President William Ruto defended the project in early June, stating Kenya was doing "the right thing" and that measures were solely intended to safeguard public health and strengthen emergency response capacity.
Minister Duale defended the center in court, arguing that fears of virus spread were "scientifically unfounded".
The United States pledged $13.5 million to support Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts, but critics also oppose what they perceive as colonial undertones in the agreement.
The current outbreak evokes painful memories of the previous Ebola outbreak in Ituri and North Kivu (July 2018 - June 2020), which affected 3,470 people and caused 2,287 deaths, becoming the largest in the country and second largest in the world.
Ebola was first identified in 1976 in what is now the DRC (formerly Zaire). It is a highly contagious viral disease affecting humans and non-human primates. It spreads through bodily fluids or contaminated materials and causes organ damage, blood vessel deterioration, and sometimes severe internal and external hemorrhaging.
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, World Health Organization, Africa CDC.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
