Kenyan Police Deploy Tear Gas on Nanyuki Protesters Opposing US Ebola Quarantine Facility

Police in Nanyuki, Kenya, deployed tear gas against demonstrators protesting the construction of a proposed 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility intended for US citizens. Small groups of protestors, brandishing Kenyan flags and carrying a coffin marked "Ebola," demanded the immediate reversal of the plan.

This intervention follows similar protests last week where two individuals reportedly died after police dispersed crowds. Public opposition centres on anxieties regarding cross-border infection risks and a perceived lack of transparency from the Kenyan government about the treatment centre.

Last month, the High Court ordered a halt to the facility’s opening after a rights organisation initiated a legal challenge, citing "grave and imminent risks" to public health. However, satellite imagery indicates construction has continued at the airbase despite this judicial directive.

Protester Priscilla Imani conveyed local sentiment, stating, "My message is this, Laikipia is not a dumping site and our voices must be heard." She added that the US plan has negatively impacted Nanyuki and the wider Laikipia county, deterring visitors.

The US official involved in the project stated that Kenya was chosen due to its proximity to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — where the current Ebola outbreak is concentrated — and the limited capabilities of other regional airports, ensuring timely treatment for Americans. The epicentre of the outbreak, Bunia in the DRC, is approximately 780km (485 miles) from Nanyuki, with Uganda separating the two nations.

While the DRC has recorded 608 confirmed Ebola cases and 102 deaths, Kenya has reported no cases. President William Ruto has defended the plan, characterising a refusal to host the centre as "inhuman" and urging Kenyans not to politicise the matter. The US administration acknowledges the court case, expressing optimism that objections can be resolved.