President Ruto Defends Ebola Preparedness Facility at Laikipia Air Base - June 2026

President William Ruto has defended the establishment of an Ebola preparedness facility at Laikipia Air Base, emphasizing the need for preparedness against potential outbreaks. The government has stated it is implementing comprehensive measures to prevent Ebola entry, with 2,200 health workers already trained and regional Ebola samples being sent to Kenya for genome testing. However, protests against the facility have escalated significantly, with Nanyuki residents staging demonstrations that resulted in two people injured, law courts vandalized, and two fatalities. Activists carried coffins and crosses in protest, while a court has maintained orders halting the facility's construction and ordered government disclosure of agreement details. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has also voiced concerns about the quarantine facility.