• The US-funded Ebola quarantine centre in Kenya will proceed, amid protests and a court order blocking its opening.
• Kenyans expressed anger over the perception of colonialism and worries about Ebola risk, as protests turned violent.
• Health Minister Aden Duale stated the facility would serve both Americans and Kenyans, rejecting claims of exclusivity.
• Concerns grow as neighbouring Uganda reports cases of the Ebola virus, heightening fears in Kenya.
• The centre is part of a 2015 agreement under the US Biological Threat Reduction Programme.

Kenya's health minister announced that the US-funded Ebola quarantine centre will move forward despite recent deadly protests and a court order that temporarily halted its opening. According to US officials, the facility at Laikipia Air Base was intended to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is experiencing a severe Ebola outbreak. The recent protests resulted in at least two fatalities, highlighting local discontent with the project, according to South China Morning Post and Africa News.

Health Minister Aden Duale defended the quarantine centre in parliament, stating that it would be open to both Kenyans and US nationals, thereby dismissing fears about it being an "exclusive" facility. "Quarantine is not only for Americans. Even Kenyans will be isolated at the facility," he emphasized. This statement is part of the government's broader plan involving 23 such centres to bolster public health infrastructure amid global health threats, according to Africa News and Al Jazeera.

Public sentiment has been notably hostile, with protests reflecting concerns over the perceived colonial dynamics of allowing a foreign power to establish such a facility in Kenya. "If it is too dangerous for America, it is too dangerous for Kenya," declared the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, reflecting widespread trepidation about the risks of Ebola entering the nation. While Kenya has no recorded cases, neighbouring Uganda has reported infections, adding urgency to the public's fears, according to Africa News and Al Jazeera.

Despite protests and recent legal challenges attempting to suspend construction of the facility, government officials have remained committed to the project, highlighting the US's long-standing partnership with Kenya. President Ruto characterized the construction of the quarantine center as a mutual agreement reflecting robust US health aid support. He reiterated that "we are a responsible government" that is capable of managing potential health crises, as stated by Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.