Kenya has suspended construction of a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility following a court order and mounting legal and public opposition over the project’s safety implications.
The decision was announced on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, by Health Minister Aden Duale, shortly after he was found in contempt of court for allowing construction to continue despite an earlier judicial directive halting the project.
The High Court had previously ordered the suspension of the facility’s construction, pending the outcome of a case filed by the Law Society of Kenya and the Katiba Institute. The petitioners argued that Kenya’s already fragile health system could be overwhelmed in the event of an Ebola outbreak linked to the facility.
Despite the ruling, construction reportedly continued, triggering public protests in which three people lost their lives. At the contempt hearing, Minister Duale apologized, stating that it was never his intention to disregard or undermine court orders. The court accepted his apology and declined to impose further sanctions.
The proposed quarantine centre was intended to host American citizens exposed to Ebola while abroad, rather than repatriating them to the United States. The US government had pledged approximately $13.5 million towards Kenya’s Ebola preparedness programme, framing the initiative as part of broader global health security cooperation.
Minister Duale defended the project’s scientific basis, insisting that fears of Ebola transmission to surrounding communities were unfounded. The suspension marks a pause in a politically sensitive health infrastructure project that has drawn scrutiny over sovereignty, public safety, and international health logistics.