The United States has deployed military personnel to Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya to help construct and operationalise a controversial Ebola quarantine facility — even as the project remains suspended under a High Court order and public protests continue to simmer.
The deployment was confirmed by the U.S. State Department in a statement to military publication Stars and Stripes, describing it as part of a broader $220 million whole-of-government response to the Ebola outbreak in East and Central Africa. The number of troops sent has not been disclosed, but U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that the team includes specialists in medical support, engineering, communications, security, and contract planning.
“Personnel include medical, engineer, communications, security and contract planners,” a U.S. official said, adding that the troops will not provide frontline medical care. “AFRICOM is not involved in other activities regarding Ebola, however the command remains postured to support tasking if and when directed.”
The 30-bed to 50-bed temporary facility at Laikipia Air Base, located approximately 120 miles north of Nairobi near the town of Nanyuki, is intended to triage, isolate, and monitor American citizens — including aid workers, military personnel, and health officials — who may be exposed to Ebola while working in the region. Screened individuals would then be cleared for travel back to the United States.
The project is linked to a serious Ebola outbreak declared on May 15 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. More than 689 cases have been confirmed in the DRC, with the virus claiming over 600 lives. Uganda has recorded at least 19 deaths.
But the facility has become a flashpoint. The Katiba Institute filed a petition at the High Court arguing that the project was negotiated without adequate public participation and that key details were withheld from Kenyans. The court issued conservatory orders halting both construction and operationalisation of the facility pending a full hearing. Three protesters have been killed by police since demonstrations began last week.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended the facility, saying it would also protect Kenyan soldiers deployed in the DRC alongside American forces, and that it would strengthen regional health security without straining Kenya’s own clinical resources.
“The aim is to protect lives and improve regional readiness,” Duale said in earlier remarks. He confirmed, however, that construction has been paused in compliance with the court’s directives.
The matter returns to court on Tuesday, June 16 — with both legal and diplomatic stakes growing by the day.
