Mt Kenya MPs oppose US Ebola quarantine facility in Laikipia

Ebola victim being wheeled in a hospital facility in DRC. [Courtesy]

A section of MPs from the Mount Kenya region have opposed reported plans to establish an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility in Laikipia County, calling for full transparency from the national government.

In a joint statement, Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri, his Laikipia North and West counterparts Sarah Korere, and Wachira Karani, and Laikipia Woman Representative Jane Kagiri said they support coordinated efforts to contain infectious disease outbreaks but raised concerns over the proposal.

They questioned why the government had not fully disclosed details of the plan and why Laikipia had been identified as the proposed site.

“Why is the Government not giving full disclosure of its intentions? Why Laikipia?” the MPs asked.

The legislators said it would be more logical to establish such a facility closer to the source of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ebola cases have been reported in recent years. “With all the US Government might, both in terms of influence and resources, wouldn’t it be more prudent to set up a full-fledged facility to deal with the outbreak in DRC?” they said.

They added that Laikipia residents deserved transparency and urged calm as they awaited clarification from the government.

“The safety and protection of our people must remain the highest priority,” the statement said.

The concerns come amid reports linking Laikipia Air Base, a facility jointly used by Kenya and foreign partners, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to the proposed site, sparking public debate and anxiety.

Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata also opposed the plan, saying it would endanger Kenyans and questioning public trust in the initiative.