By Mumo Judah, Nairobi, June 3, 2026
Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has strongly opposed the proposed U.S.-backed Ebola isolation centre in Laikipia, arguing that the project lacks public support and poses unnecessary risk to Kenyan communities.
Speaking during a heated National Assembly sitting on June 3, 2026, Nyoro challenged Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to reconsider the plan, insisting that the government should align its decisions with public sentiment.
He said he had not encountered any Kenyan who supports the establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility within the country, describing the proposal as unpopular across political and regional divides.
“Kenyans have spoken in one voice; we do not want that facility here in Kenya. Please listen to the Kenyan voices,” Nyoro said on the floor of the House.
Nyoro argued that Kenya should not position itself as a regional containment hub for highly infectious diseases when countries with significantly stronger health systems, such as the United States, have greater capacity to manage such risks domestically.
He noted that Kenya continues to face persistent challenges in equipping public hospitals, maintaining medical supply chains, and adequately financing critical healthcare services, making it, in his view, ill-prepared for high-risk biosecurity operations of that scale.
The MP further questioned the fairness of exposing communities around Laikipia Airbase to potential public health risks associated with handling infectious diseases, arguing that local populations should not bear the burden of international health arrangements.
Nyoro’s remarks came during ongoing parliamentary scrutiny of the Kenya–U.S. health cooperation framework underpinning the proposed facility, which has triggered legal, political, and public controversy.
He joined other legislators who have raised concerns over the project, warning that it could erode public trust in government health policy and expose vulnerable communities to unnecessary danger.
The debate in Parliament has intensified in recent days, with lawmakers divided over whether Kenya should host a specialized isolation unit linked to regional outbreak response efforts or reject the arrangement altogether.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended the initiative, maintaining that it is part of a broader international disease preparedness framework and that Kenya’s participation is guided by formal agreements and national security considerations.
He has, however, faced sustained resistance from sections of Parliament and the public, who continue to question the transparency, necessity, and safety implications of the proposed facility.
The matter remains under both legislative and judicial scrutiny as stakeholders weigh the balance between regional health security cooperation and domestic risk concerns.
