Kenyan court blocks US Ebola quarantine center over safety fears

A Nairobi High Court judge issued an emergency injunction Friday blocking the US government from opening a 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya, pending a full biosafety review. The ruling came after local health activists filed a petition alleging that the facility posed "unacceptable cross-border contamination risks."

Judge Esther Kimani’s 14-page ruling emphasized that Kenyan authorities had not been granted access to the facility’s safety protocols or operational plans. "The absence of transparency creates a reasonable apprehension of harm," Kimani wrote, adding that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had not provided sufficient data on pathogen containment measures.

The proposed site, located on 2.5 acres adjacent to Wilson Airport, was slated to begin operations by August 2024. Internal documents obtained by this newspaper reveal that the US government had already committed $1.8 million in startup costs, including staffing and equipment. However, Kenyan officials say they were never formally consulted on the project’s biosafety standards.

Activists argue the facility could violate the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which Kenya ratified in 2003. The protocol requires prior informed consent for the introduction of genetically modified organisms or hazardous biological agents. "Ebola is not a lab experiment," said Dr. Amina Wanjiku, a microbiologist with the Kenya Biosafety Trust. "We cannot gamble with containment."

The US Embassy has not commented publicly since the ruling, but insiders say diplomats are reviewing the judgment. Meanwhile, Kenyan health officials are drafting new biosafety regulations to govern future foreign-operated medical facilities. The Ministry of Health confirmed it will hold public hearings on the issue within 30 days.

Public reaction has been swift. On social media, Kenyans are using the hashtag #NoEbolaRisk under which users highlight the lack of transparency. A protest is planned for Monday outside the US Embassy in Nairobi, with organizers expecting hundreds of participants. Health experts warn that even a single breach could spark a regional outbreak, given Kenya’s role as a regional air travel hub.