Hundreds of young people marched to Laikipia Air Base in Kenya on Monday to protest plans to create an Ebola quarantine center for US citizens exposed to the virus.The demonstration took place in the central city of Nanyuki, two days after Kenya’s Supreme Court suspended construction of the facility and halted the arrival of any foreign patients pending the hearing of the case brought by the Law Society of Kenya and the Constitutional Oversight Authority, the Associated Press reported.The petitioners said Kenya’s healthcare system remains too fragile to absorb foreign Ebola patients. The court order came after reports that the United States planned to send Americans exposed to Ebola abroad to a new quarantine facility in Kenya instead of returning them to the United States.According to US officials, the facility was to be located at Laikipia Air Base and was expected to become operational with 50 quarantine beds.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity while discussing the administration’s plans.On Monday, demonstrators marched to the gates of the air base, chanting anti-Ebola slogans and opposing the proposed facility.Kenyan Health Minister Aden Duale said on Sunday that the quarantine center was for “everyone” and was not set up exclusively for US citizens.Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington plans to contribute $13.5 million to Ebola preparedness efforts in Kenya.
The proposal also faced opposition from local leaders. Laikipia Governor Joshua Irongo said he opposed the establishment of the quarantine centre, warning it could expose local residents to the virus.“This will expose our people to Ebola,” he said, adding that many residents work inside the air base and may face potential exposure.Kenya has not recorded any cases of Ebola infection. But neighboring Uganda has reported nine cases and closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.According to the report, at least 282 confirmed cases of Ebola and more than 1,000 suspected cases linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus have been reported in Congo. The current strain has no approved treatment or vaccine.
