Breaking — Africa
Two people were shot dead in Kenya on Thursday during protests against a planned US-built Ebola quarantine centre, according to local officials and rights groups.
Clashes erupted in a Kenyan town after authorities announced a partnership with the United States to construct a dedicated Ebola isolation facility — a plan that immediately sparked fierce local resistance.
Witnesses said security forces opened fire on demonstrators who had gathered near the proposed site. At least two people were killed and several others wounded. The incident sent shockwaves through the region, which is still scarred by the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people.
Kenya has not recorded an Ebola case in the current outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but the health ministry said it was acting “out of an abundance of caution” in preparing a dedicated treatment site. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly co-funding the project.
Residents opposed to the site say they were never consulted and fear the facility would turn their community into a target. Local leaders called for the plan to be scrapped immediately and for those responsible for the killings to face justice.
The DRC is currently battling its 17th Ebola outbreak, with 380 confirmed cases as of this week. The World Health Organization has warned the outbreak is in an area affected by active conflict, complicating the response effort.
Kenya’s health ministry had no immediate comment. The US Embassy in Nairobi did not respond to a request for comment.
Anya Petrova
Anya Petrova covers European politics, security, and EU institutional dynamics from Brussels.