Tensions in Kenya have risen after police fired live bullets and tear gas to break up a protest in Nanyuki city, killing one protester during demonstrations against the planned 50-bed US Ebola quarantine center. Many residents express concern about health risks and accuse the government of lacking transparency, despite a court order suspending the project.
One protester was shot dead during a rally opposing the construction of a US Ebola quarantine center for Americans in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, central Kenya, on Tuesday (9 Jun) amid fierce clashes between demonstrators and police.
Eyewitnesses and protest leaders said the victim was shot in the head and accused police of firing into the crowd. However, the Kenyan police spokesperson has not confirmed or commented on these allegations. Reuters reporters saw the deceased man's body behind a police vehicle but did not witness the shooting directly.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission stated that masked police officers used live ammunition and arrested at least 19 protesters, also accusing authorities of assaulting both demonstrators and journalists. However, these claims have yet to be independently verified.
The protests oppose the US plan to establish a 50-bed quarantine and monitoring center for Ebola contacts within the Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki. The center will be staffed by US medical personnel and aims to care for Americans potentially exposed to Ebola from outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Many protesters view the US plan as shifting public health risks onto Kenya. During the demonstrations, participants waved national flags, held protest signs, and displayed white crosses bearing the message “Reject Ebola” as a symbolic statement.
Priscilla Imani, one of the protesters, said the stigma associated with the quarantine center is harming tourism, especially visitors who come to climb Mount Kenya and see rhinos in conservation areas. She added, “Laikipia is not a dumping ground for other people's problems.”
Previously, the Kenyan High Court twice ordered a suspension of the center's construction and operation after human rights groups filed lawsuits, citing the project’s potential to pose a “serious and immediate” public health risk. The court also ordered the government to disclose all agreements related to the project within one week.
However, opposition lawyers revealed that the court’s deadline has passed without government compliance. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources and flight tracking data indicate US military planes continue to transport personnel and equipment into the area. Satellite images show numerous white tents being installed at the base, despite the court suspension order.
The US government confirmed awareness of the legal proceedings in Kenya and is working with Kenyan authorities to address concerns. US officials said Kenya was chosen for the center because of its proximity to outbreak zones and limited regional airport capacity, enabling timely treatment of Americans.
Currently, the Democratic Republic of Congo has about 600 confirmed Ebola cases with over 100 deaths, while Uganda reports more than 500 confirmed infections. Kenya has yet to record any Ebola cases.