Construction of US-backed Ebola facility in Kenya halted, minister says

NAIROBI – Kenya’s health minister said on June 23 he had ordered an immediate halt to the construction of a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility at an air base after he was found guilty of contempt of court for failing to observe suspension orders.

Health Minister Aden Duale was appearing before a Kenyan court that has blocked construction of the tented facility near the central town of Nanyuki, which has seen deadly protests over the plan.

The facility is intended to host Americans exposed to Ebola during an ongoing outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo, which has recorded over 1,000 cases.

Satellite imagery from June 22 reviewed by Reuters showed a build-up of tents, an increase in the amount of area paved, and progress in construction including structures that appeared to be containers, compared with images reviewed earlier in the month.

In her sentencing, Justice Patricia Nyaundi Mande warned Duale against further disobedience and discharged him with no punishment.

Flights carrying medical equipment and specialist staff have continued to arrive at the air base despite the court orders, according to flight-tracking data and US and diplomatic sources.

A US official told Reuters last week that planes were continuing to land at the air base carrying supplies for the facility, while staff were being trained on site. REUTERS