Kenyan court finds Duale in contempt over Ebola site

A Kenyan court has found Health Minister Aden Duale in contempt for failing to halt construction of a U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility, ordering him to appear for sentencing on Tuesday, June 23. The High Court ruled on Monday that government authorities had defied multiple judicial orders to stop work on the project at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki.

The facility, intended to house U.S. nationals potentially evacuated from an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, has faced intense public and legal opposition since its announcement in May. Following the contempt ruling, Minister Duale told the court on Tuesday that he had directed the immediate and complete cessation of all activities related to the site pending the court's final decision.

The legal challenge was initiated by the rights group Katiba Institute and the Law Society of Kenya, which argued the project was developed without proper consultation, transparency, or necessary environmental and health safety assessments. They also contended that Kenya's healthcare system, which has never recorded an Ebola case, is ill-equipped to safely manage such a facility. The court found that despite an...