Liquipia MPs reject the establishment of an Ebola quarantine center due to concerns about transparency.

Written by: Mohammed Omran

Members of Parliament from Kenya's Laikipia County unanimously rejected the government's plan to establish a quarantine center for the virus. Ebola In the province, they are raising questions about transparency, site selection, and its wider implications for public safety.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, May 29, 2026, the MPs expressed concern about reports that the government intends to host the center in Laikipia County, warning that this move has not been adequately explained to local leaders and residents.

The MPs reported that they were not consulted before any decision was made, raising concerns about how the government chose to establish this facility in Laikipia.

The MPs stated, "Our collective conscience is deeply disturbed by the news of the Kenyan government's intention to establish an Ebola quarantine and treatment center in Laikipia County.".

They questioned why Laikipia was chosen as the site for the facility, and whether other alternatives, including treating Ebola cases at the epicenter of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been considered.

At the same time, MPs expressed concern about what they described as a lack of transparency regarding the proposed arrangement, questioning why the full details of the plan were not shared with the relevant parties.

The statement read, "Why doesn't the government disclose its full intentions? And why Laikipia specifically?".

This development comes amid widespread public discontent over the planned facility, following President William Ruto's announcement of its construction at Nanyuki Air Base in Laikipia.

However, despite reports that the government would receive more than 1.7 billion Kenyan shillings from the U.S. government for the facility, the court on Friday, May 29, 2026, halted the plans pending a ruling on the lawsuit filed by the Katipa Institute.

Despite a court order, reports indicate that the Trump administration is sending a specialized Ebola response team to Kenya to support its citizens who will be received at the quarantine center.

According to CNN, US officials confirmed the dispatch, explaining that it was part of a coordinated effort between the US State Department and the Department of Defense to facilitate the safe return of US citizens who may have been exposed to the virus, and to monitor their health.

Amid the controversy surrounding the partnership between Kenya and the United States, Kenya has not recorded any cases of the virus, as the Ministry of Health intensifies surveillance at airports and along its borders to contain the situation.