Court Halts US-Backed Ebola Facility as Health CS Found in Contempt

Kenya's High Court has ordered a halt to the construction of a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility at a Laikipia air force base, setting off a constitutional standoff between the judiciary and the Ministry of Health that culminated in a contempt ruling against Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.

The Court Order and Its Origins

Justice Nyaundi of the Nairobi Milimani High Court issued a conservatory order on May 29, 2026, blocking the establishment of the facility following a petition filed by the Katiba Institute. The planned facility was intended for housing American nationals who might be exposed to Ebola amid an ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Duale Defies the Court — and Pays a Price

Despite the conservatory order, construction at the Laikipia Air Base site continued. Justice Nyaundi issued a contempt ruling against CS Duale on June 22, finding that the Ministry of Health had knowingly defied an order of the court. Following the contempt ruling, CS Duale directed the immediate cessation of all construction activities on June 23, 2026.

Sovereignty and Secrecy at the Heart of the Dispute

Central to the Katiba Institute's petition was concern about the secretive nature of the deal between Kenya and the United States. The organisation argued that a facility designed to quarantine foreign nationals on Kenyan soil raised profound questions about sovereignty.