Kenya’s High Court has found Health Minister Aden Duale in contempt of court for allowing construction to continue on a controversial Ebola quarantine facility intended for United States nationals despite orders halting the project.
Justice Patricia Nyaundi Mande ruled on Monday that Duale had proceeded with activities at the proposed site near Nanyuki in central Kenya after multiple court directives issued in late May and early June ordered construction to stop.
The facility is planned to house US citizens exposed to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Duale is due to appear in court on Tuesday for mitigation and sentencing.
The court’s decision followed a legal challenge brought by the Katiba Institute, a rights group that argued the project was being developed without sufficient public consultation.
The organization has demanded details including health and biosafety assessments, regulatory approvals, and operational protocols linked to the facility.
Justice Mande said the government could not avoid compliance with court orders by changing how the construction was characterized.
According to the ruling, Duale understood that all work at the site was required to stop but allowed it to continue.
The health ministry had previously maintained that any ongoing work was being carried out solely by the Kenyan government in the national interest and did not violate the court order.
Earlier this month, Duale told parliament that the project would continue despite opposition.
The proposed 50-bed isolation center has triggered protests in Nanyuki and drawn criticism from healthcare professionals, civil society groups, and residents.
Many opponents have questioned the decision to host a quarantine facility for exposed American citizens in a country that has not recorded any Ebola infections.
Kenyan medical professionals have also argued that the project could place additional strain on the country’s health system.
The dispute has been further fueled by Kenya’s acceptance of a $13.5 million Ebola preparedness contribution from the United States.
President William Ruto has defended the initiative, describing it as part of a long-standing partnership with the United States and arguing that rejecting the request would have been inappropriate.
The current Ebola outbreak has affected the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, while Kenya had reported no Ebola cases as of Monday.