Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed reports of 7 American nationals being quarantined at the Laikipia Air Base Ebola Facility.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 23, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), CS Duale said the government halted the construction of the US Ebola Facility in Laikipia.
The Health CS maintained that the government complied with the court order, which suspended the construction of the Ebola facility and entry of Ebola-exposed persons.
"When I appeared before the court, I made a commitment and said I respect the rule of law. We stopped the construction at Laikipia Air Base.
“From where I sit as the CS for Health, I don't respond to what Reuters writes. What I said is what is happening; we have complied with the court order,” said CS Duale.
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Duale’s clarification comes days after Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham claimed that seven US nationals were transported to the Laikipia Ebola facility for a 21-day isolation period.
Graham noted that all seven Americans did not have any symptoms of Ebola, adding that their quarantine complied with the mandatory quarantine for Americans who worked in Ebola-affected regions before flying back to the country.
"Samaritan's Purse has seven American Disaster Assistance Response Team staff members at the isolation center in Kenya.
“None of them have any symptoms, but they are being quarantined by the Kenyan government for 21 days,” he stated.
Following the reports, Senior Counsel Paul Muite demanded that the government address the quarantine of the American Citizens.
Muite questioned why the government had chosen to disregard court orders stopping the construction and use of the facility pending a determination of a petition filed by the Katiba Institute.
"Can the Kenyan Government issue a public statement on this? Are U.S. citizens quarantined at Nanyuki Airbase in contempt of court orders? Are there no concerns from the government about an Ebola outbreak in Kenya? All this in pursuit of some US Dollars by some individuals!" Muite stated.
