Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, is facing mounting political and legal pressure after Parliament summoned him over a controversial plan to establish an Ebola quarantine facility linked to a United States-backed health arrangement.
The Parliamentary Health Committee directed Mr Duale and senior ministry officials to appear before lawmakers next Tuesday to explain the proposed project, which has triggered public concern and a court battle.
The summons came hours after the High Court temporarily suspended plans to establish the quarantine centre in Laikipia County.
The conservatory orders, issued on Friday at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, followed a petition filed by the Katiba Institute challenging the legality and public health implications of the proposed facility.
The court warned that any individual or institution that failed to comply with the orders could face legal consequences.
In its petition, Katiba Institute argued that the arrangement raised serious constitutional questions and should not proceed before a full judicial review.
The dispute has quickly become one of the country’s most closely watched public health controversies, reviving memories of the Covid-19 pandemic and exposing growing public unease over how Kenya handles foreign health agreements.
For many Kenyans, reports that the country could host individuals exposed to Ebola triggered anxiety, particularly given the deadly nature of the virus and Kenya’s position as a major regional travel hub.
The proposed facility was reportedly expected to begin operations within days and would initially have accommodated 50 patients, with room for future expansion to 250 beds. Reports also indicated that the centre would have been staffed partly by personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service.
Speaking earlier this week, Mr Duale sought to calm public fears, insisting that any international cooperation involving Ebola preparedness would remain subject to Kenyan law and strict health safeguards.
He said the government would not compromise national safety standards.
However, critics say the arrangement could expose Kenya to unnecessary health risks, especially if the country begins hosting individuals potentially exposed to one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Public debate intensified online after details of the proposal emerged, with some Kenyans questioning why the facility would be established locally rather than in the countries from which the exposed individuals originate.
Health experts have also called for greater transparency from the government regarding the terms of the arrangement, the medical protocols involved and the safeguards in place to prevent any possible outbreak.
The Ministry of Health has maintained that the country has experience managing infectious disease threats and has invested heavily in surveillance and emergency preparedness systems since the Covid pandemic.
The developments come as East Africa remains on alert over Ebola outbreaks reported in parts of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent years.
On Thursday evening, the U.S. Department of Foreign Assistance announced a commitment of Ksh1.74 billion to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts following a phone conversation between President William Ruto and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
That funding announcement, however, has done little to ease public scepticism surrounding the quarantine proposal.
For now, the court orders have halted implementation of the project, but the political storm around it appears far from over.
With Parliament now demanding answers and public concern continuing to grow, the government faces increasing pressure to explain exactly what was agreed, who approved it and how Kenya intends to protect public health while balancing international cooperation.