Two dead in Kenya protests against U.S. Ebola isolation unit

June 2, 2026

Two people have been killed in central Kenya during protests against a proposed U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility, according to a protest organiser and a security source cited by Reuters on Tuesday. The incident has also drawn political attention, with President William Ruto rejecting claims that the project could put Kenyans at risk.

Protest organiser Patrick Wahome said the two individuals died after sustaining gunshot wounds when police reportedly opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators on Monday in Nanyuki, the town where an air force base earmarked for the facility is located. The security source did not provide details on the cause of death, while police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said he was not aware of any fatalities.

The planned 50-bed isolation unit is intended to house Americans who have been exposed to Ebola in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. However, the proposal has sparked public anger in Kenya, with critics accusing the United States of shifting health risks to the country.

A Kenyan court recently issued a temporary suspension of the project following a legal challenge from a rights group, with another hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Despite the court order, reports suggest U.S. military aircraft have continued delivering personnel and equipment to the site in recent days, according to U.S. officials and diplomatic sources. The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on the matter.

President Ruto, addressing the issue for the first time on Monday, said the facility formed part of Kenya’s broader public health preparedness and its long-standing partnership with the United States. He insisted the centre at Laikipia Air Base was no different from other health facilities in the country and did not reference the court ruling.

The outbreak in question involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has spread in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and into parts of Uganda. Health experts report more than 900 suspected cases and over 220 suspected deaths, warning that the situation may be more severe than official figures indicate due to undetected spread.

The U.S. government has stated it will not allow Ebola cases to enter American territory, differing from its approach during the 2014–2016 outbreak when infected citizens were treated domestically. In recent months, exposed U.S. citizens have instead been transferred to Germany and the Czech Republic for treatment or monitoring.

The Nanyuki facility is expected to be staffed by members of the U.S. Public Health Service and would receive asymptomatic individuals exposed to the virus. Patients who develop symptoms would reportedly be transferred elsewhere for treatment.

Kenya’s government, however, has suggested the facility could serve both Kenyans and foreign nationals, although U.S. officials have not confirmed this arrangement.

President Ruto has defended the project, saying it was approved following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump and is rooted in decades of health cooperation between the two countries. He maintained that Kenya is acting responsibly in managing the situation.