Africa-Press. Approximately 20 flights carrying medical equipment and specialized personnel have landed at a base in Kenya, where the U.S. government continues to build a quarantine facility for Ebola patients, despite protests and court orders that hinder the effort, according to flight data and officials.
At least two people have died in protests in Nanyuki, central Kenya, where the Kenyan Air Force base is located, where the U.S. military is constructing a unit with 50 beds for Americans who may be exposed to the virus, which has infected hundreds in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
A U.S. diplomatic cable indicated that Kenyan President William Ruto may have downplayed internal opposition to the plan, which has drawn criticism that the United States is shirking its responsibility to care for its citizens.
A Kenyan court issued an order on May 28 to suspend work on the Ebola treatment facility, but U.S. military flights to Nanyuki continued in the following days, according to data from flight tracking service Flightradar24.
Data showed that at least six military aircraft, including C-130 and C-17 transport planes, landed in Nanyuki since May 24, three of them after the court order was issued.
The aircraft transported technical equipment, as well as dozens of doctors, engineers, laboratory experts, and construction workers, but no patients were transported, according to a U.S. official who requested anonymity. The U.S. embassy in Nairobi stated on Wednesday that it is aware of the court proceedings and is “working with the Kenyan government to resolve any objections.”
Ruto defended his approval of the facility’s establishment, stating to reporters: “We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing.” He did not comment on the court order.
About 20 flights occurred between May 23 and 31, according to a U.S. official and another source familiar with the matter. According to the second source: “Everyone has been brought in, except for patients.”
A Kenyan court has halted the plan for another three weeks, ordering the government to disclose its agreement with Washington. However, the second source said that work continues, and the facility may be ready by Thursday. The source added: “The United States will only stop if the Kenyan government orders it to.”
However, a U.S. official stated that flights were paused due to “confusion” regarding the court order and its implications, but the pause was lifted on Wednesday after Kenyan authorities informed U.S. officials that preparations could resume. They added that more supplies would be transported by air, including specialized equipment, testing kits, and protective gear.
The U.S. embassy in Nairobi, in a cable sent to Washington on June 2 according to U.S. officials, indicated that public anger over the Ebola facility has added to the pressures facing Ruto’s government due to rising fuel prices and the approaching anniversary of anti-government protests that resulted in dozens of deaths in 2024.
The U.S. cable stated: “President Ruto may have underestimated the depth and intensity of public opposition by agreeing to host the biological isolation facility.”
Ruto stated that the facility is part of a broader plan to prepare Kenya for any Ebola virus cases and aligns with a long-term health partnership with Washington. The United States announced last week that it would provide $13.5 million for Kenya’s efforts to prepare for Ebola.
The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that any American citizen at risk of contracting the Ebola virus, who is not showing symptoms, could be transferred to the facility in Kenya, where they would spend 21 days in quarantine.
The department added that anyone showing symptoms would be transferred elsewhere for treatment, without providing further details. Kenyan government officials have repeatedly stated that the facility will be open to Kenyan citizens, while Trump administration officials have stated that priority would be given to American citizens.
The plan has also faced opposition in the United States, where health officials, including former employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that such measures could deter American responders on the front lines from deploying to affected areas and undermine global response efforts.
