Two people were shot dead and several others injured Wednesday as hundreds of demonstrators clashed with Kenyan police outside Laikipia Air Base, where the United States plans to establish an Ebola quarantine center for American citizens exposed to the virus — the deadliest confrontation over a foreign health facility in sub-Saharan Africa this year.
Police Open Fire on Crowds at Nanyuki Base
Video from the scene shows security forces firing tear gas and live rounds into crowds that had gathered at the Nanyuki base since early morning. Kenya’s Health Minister Dr. Deborah Mbithe confirmed the deaths at an emergency press conference in Nairobi, saying the government regretted the violence but remained committed to proceeding with the facility.
“The quarantine center is a critical public health measure,” she said. “We understand community concerns, but the risk of an Ebola outbreak spreading unchecked far outweighs those concerns.” The US Embassy in Nairobi had issued a travel advisory late Tuesday warning American citizens to avoid the Laikipia area, citing credible intelligence of imminent protests.
Regional Powers Sound Alarm
The controversy has drawn in regional powers. Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued its own advisory warning citizens against travel to the Laikipia region, while the African Union called for “calm and restraint.” A US delegation is expected to arrive in Nairobi by week’s end to hold talks with Kenyan officials on the facility’s operational parameters.
Ebola cases have been reported across South Sudan, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak has strained regional health systems already dealing with mpox and a widening hantavirus exposure event tied to a cruise ship docked in the United States. The Laikipia facility, if operational, would serve as a dedicated quarantine outpost for US personnel evacuated from those countries.
Local Community Left in the Dark
Locals in Nanyuki say they were given no opportunity to vote on the arrangement. “This is our town,” said one resident who gave only his surname, Kimani. “They brought a plan for our community and did not ask us.” A county official who spoke on background said local representatives had filed a formal objection with the Ministry of Health three weeks ago and received no response.
The confrontation has reopened a broader debate about foreign military and health infrastructure on Kenyan soil. Parliamentary hearings are expected to resume next week, though observers say the facility’s construction timeline — targeted for completion by August — makes delay unlikely regardless of the political fallout.