The High Court has extended conservatory orders halting the establishment of a proposed Ebola quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya, dealing a fresh setback to the controversial project backed by the United States government.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Patricia Nyaundi directed the government to maintain the status quo and barred any further steps toward operationalising the facility pending the hearing and determination of a constitutional petition challenging the arrangement.
The court also ordered the government to disclose within seven days all agreements, negotiations, approvals, risk assessments, operational protocols, and related documents connected to the proposed facility.
According to Katiba Institute, which filed the petition, the orders are intended to prevent irreversible actions before the constitutional, public health, and national security concerns raised in the case are fully addressed.
Under the ruling, the government is prohibited from establishing, facilitating, approving, or permitting any Ebola quarantine, isolation, exposure, or treatment facility linked to the disputed arrangement with the United States or any other foreign government. The court further barred the admission, transfer, reception, or facilitation of entry into Kenya of individuals exposed to or infected with Ebola under the proposed programme.
The case stems from a petition filed on May 29 challenging reports of an agreement between Kenya and the United States to establish a 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility at the Laikipia Air Base. Katiba Institute argues that the arrangement was negotiated without public participation and raises serious questions regarding biosecurity, national sovereignty, and constitutional governance.
The petitioners have also questioned reports suggesting the facility would prioritise the treatment and isolation of U.S. citizens in Kenya under an agreement that has not been made public.
The latest court decision comes amid growing public opposition to the project. On Monday, hundreds of residents staged protests in Nanyuki, rejecting plans to establish the facility in Laikipia and expressing fears that it could expose local communities to health risks.