Kenya Ebola: Health Minister Aden Duale orders halt to construction of US-backed quarantine centre

Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale has halted the construction of a controversial US-funded Ebola quarantine facility in the country a day after he was found in contempt of court for ignoring a judge's ruling. Appearing in court on Tuesday, Duale apologised and said he had "directed the immediate and complete cessation" of building work at a military base in the town of Nanyuki. Last month, the High Court ruled the construction of the 50-bed isolation centre should stop until a case brought by a rights group could be heard. But on Monday, a judge ruled that Duale had ignored the order and allowed the project to continue. The quarantine facility is intended for US citizens who are suspected to have contracted Ebola in the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Duale's court appearance marked a rare occasion of a sitting Kenyan minister facing possible sanctions for contempt of court, underscoring the growing legal and political stakes surrounding the disputed Ebola facility. "I sincerely regret any action or omission, misunderstanding or misinterpretation that may have resulted in non-compliance of the order of this court or created the perception thereof," Duale adde

Jun 23, 2026 → Jun 23, 2026