Kenyan President Backs Trump's Ebola Facility Amid Protests

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Kenyan President William Ruto stated on Monday night, June 1, 2026, that he had allowed the establishment of the United States' Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base. He defended the project amidst increasing public opposition. As reported by Anadolu, Ruto's decision to establish the facility came after President Donald Trump personally requested Kenya's support.

William Ruto's remarks mark the first time he openly confirmed Trump's request for the facility, placing the dispute at the center of Kenya-US relations and the growing domestic political controversy.

Speaking at a Media Roundtable Discussion in Northeast Wajir following the Madaraka Day celebrations, Ruto stated that the decision was based on Kenya's long-term partnership with the US, particularly in public health, disease control, and medical research.

"When President Trump asked the government of Kenya to support them by having a center in Laikipia Air Base, I gave the okay because it was an agreement and a partnership with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30-40 years," Ruto said.

The President's statement came hours after hundreds of residents and youths protested outside the facility at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki. Police fired tear gas and live ammunition into the air as the demonstrators attempted to move towards the location.

Burning tires, road barricades, and confrontations with security forces disrupted parts of the town.

Nanyuki is located approximately 200 kilometers north of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, and serves as the main town center in Laikipia County.

Ruto dismissed claims that the center was an unusual arrangement. He argued that Kenya has a long history of cooperation with the US and international partners in addressing major health challenges.

"The American government has supported us. They have deployed huge resources in Kenya to work with us on HIV AIDS, to work with us on other diseases. They worked with us on Ebola," he said.

"In fact, KEMRI was one of the institutions that worked on research on the vaccines for COVID-19 because we have a solid partnership with America and other partners, so the facility that is at Laikipia Air Base is not a facility different from all the other facilities that we have across Kenya," Ruto added.

The facility has been the focus of intense national debate following reports that it would be used to quarantine and monitor potentially Ebola-exposed American citizens during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Critics have questioned why such a facility should be located in Kenya. They have raised concerns about public health risks, transparency, and national sovereignty.

The controversy has also reached the courts. Last week, the Kenyan High Court temporarily suspended the establishment and operation of the facility pending a constitutional petition challenging the project.

The US has defended the arrangement, with Jeremy P. Lewin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, humanitarian issues, and religious freedom, stating that Washington is aware of the court's actions. Lewin expressed optimism that the concerns could be addressed through engagement with Kenyan authorities.

Kenya has yet to record any cases of Ebola. However, health officials have heightened surveillance and screening measures at airports, borders, and health facilities as authorities monitor the regional outbreak.

Read: Kenya Court Blocks US Plan for Ebola Quarantine Facility

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