By Bonface Mulyungi
President William Ruto has revealed why he gave the United States a nod for the establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility at the Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki.
According to the Head of State, U.S. President Donald Trump requested Kenya to offer support in combating the deadly virus, a plea he welcomed without hesitation.
Speaking to the media on Monday evening, President Ruto maintained that Kenya is committed to fostering its partnership with the Western powerhouse and will not turn its back on the opportunity to combat a high-risk disease.
“Our partnership with the American government is a mutual agreement. When President Trump asked Kenya to support them by having a centre in Laikipia Air Base I gave the okay because it was an agreement with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30, 40 years,” he said.
“The American government has deployed huge resources in Kenya on HIV/AIDS, on Ebola and other diseases.”
He opined that the establishment of the Laikipia base is being politicised, revealing that there are other 23 emergency response facilities across the nation well fitted with necessary equipment to tame the spread of the virus upon detection.
“The facility is not different from all the other we have across Kenya. We have 23 other facilities set up in Kenyatta Hospital, the Police Hospital in Nairobi, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, the Kenyatta Hospital in Thika, Alupe Hospital in Busia and many others,” Ruto added.
“These facilities are meant to make sure that there is proper screening and if there is any positive identification of people who have Ebola, they are immediately isolated and treated so that there is no spread of the disease.”
President Ruto maintained that Kenya cannot ignore the potential risks of the virus spreading beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, where cases have been detected, and needs to remain prepared.
“Those questioning our preparedness, are they telling us that we should not be ready? The fact that we could end up with a case is not far-fetched. We have many Kenyans in DRC and if they were to become victims of Ebola we would have a responsibility to take care of them,” he said.
“We are a responsible government. Politicians should avoid reckless talk. I am confident about what we are doing as a country.”
This comes after tension gripped Nanyuki town on Monday as hundreds of residents took to the streets to protest against the planned establishment of the Laikipia Ebola facility.
Security officers stopped demonstrators before reaching the military installation.
Hundreds of residents and youth groups cited fears over potential health risks associated with hosting such a centre in their neighbourhood, demanding the relocation of the facility elsewhere.
Likewise, Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has defended the move, dismissing claims that it is being set up solely to host Americans exposed to Ebola.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Duale said the facility will serve both Kenyan and American nationals, particularly personnel operating in high-risk regions, and forms part of Kenya’s broader preparedness strategy against infectious disease outbreaks.
Meanwhile, the High Court has temporarily stopped the government from establishing the facility under any arrangement with the U.S. or any other foreign government or agency.
The conservatory orders were issued after the court certified a petition by the Katiba Institute which challenged the arrangement between Kenya and foreign governments, including the United States, regarding the handling of Ebola cases.
The court has also barred the government from admitting into Kenya, transferring, receiving or facilitating the entry of persons exposed to or infected with Ebola under the contested arrangement until the case is heard and determined.
So far, 1,031 cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the first case was announced on May 15, and 240 deaths have been recorded.
