The United States government has responded to a High Court decision suspending plans to establish an Ebola quarantine and isolation facility at Laikipia Air Base, saying it is engaging Kenyan authorities and remains hopeful that concerns surrounding the project can be addressed.
In a statement issued on Saturday, May 30, President Donald Trump's administration acknowledged the court action and said discussions were ongoing with the Kenyan government following legal objections raised against the proposed facility.
"We are aware of the court action filed in Kenya against the Ebola isolation facility. We are in touch with Kenyan authorities and are optimistic we can resolve objections," the U.S. government said.
The response came hours after Justice Patricia Nyaundi issued conservatory orders temporarily stopping the establishment of any Ebola exposure, quarantine, isolation, or treatment facility by the U.S. government or any other foreign agency within Kenya.
The court further barred the admission, transfer, reception, or facilitation of entry into Kenya of any person exposed to or infected with Ebola under the reported arrangement until the case is heard and determined.
The orders were issued following an urgent petition filed by Katiba Institute at the Milimani Law Courts. The constitutional lobby group argued that the planned facility raises constitutional, public health and national security issues that should be examined by the court before any implementation takes place.
Justice Nyaundi certified the case as urgent and directed the respondents to file their responses within 48 hours of being served. The petitioner was also granted permission to file a supplementary affidavit within one day after receiving the responses.
The court warned that any individual or institution found to have violated the conservatory orders would face penal consequences for contempt of court.
Reports indicate that the proposed facility was expected to begin operations within a week and was initially planned as a 50-bed field hospital.
The facility was also expected to be staffed by personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service, with teams reportedly undergoing specialised training at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before deployment to Kenya.
The latest development comes only days after a telephone conversation between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President William Ruto on Thursday, May 28, during which the two leaders discussed the ongoing Ebola outbreak and cooperation between Kenya and the United States in preparedness efforts.
During the call, Rubio announced that the U.S. government would provide about Sh1.74 billion to support Kenya's Ebola preparedness measures, underscoring continued cooperation between the two countries in responding to the health threat.