NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 2 — President William Ruto has strongly defended Kenya’s Ebola preparedness programme, dismissing criticism over the proposed establishment of a quarantine and isolation facility at Laikipia Air Base and insisting the government is acting in the country’s best interest.
Addressing journalists during a media round-table at Wajir State Lodge on Monday evening, President Ruto said Kenya remains fully prepared to prevent, detect and manage any potential Ebola cases, noting that no infections have been recorded in the country so far.
Ruto urged critics to avoid politicising public health preparedness, describing it as a critical component of national security.
“We are a responsible government, and we know what we are doing,” Ruto said in response to growing criticism over the planned facility, urging opponents not to politicise public health interventions.
The remarks come amid public debate and protests in Nanyuki over reports that Kenya could host an Ebola quarantine and isolation centre at Laikipia Air Base under a proposed international arrangement involving the United States.
Ruto insisted that the facility is part of a wider national disease preparedness strategy and is not unique, saying Kenya already operates 23 similar centres across the country, including at Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, and Alupe Hospital in Busia.
The President revealed that Kenya is currently screening an average of 3,000 travellers daily at all entry points as part of strengthened surveillance measures aimed at keeping the country Ebola-free.
He said the centres are designed to support screening, isolation and treatment in the event of an outbreak, stressing that preparedness is a key component of national security.
“We have made adequate arrangements and deployed every arsenal we have to make sure we protect Kenyans,” the President said
The President also highlighted Kenya’s long-standing partnership with international allies, particularly the United States, which he said has played a major role in strengthening the country’s pandemic response systems over decades, including during HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 responses.
Ruto added that Kenya’s engagement with partners is based on mutual benefit and historical cooperation in global health.
He further defended the Laikipia Air Base facility, saying it is part of a broader preparedness framework intended to protect Kenyans in the event of cross-border health emergencies.
The President noted that although Kenya has not recorded any Ebola cases, the risk remains real due to regional exposure, including Kenyans working in or deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“If they were to be victims of Ebola, we would have a responsibility as a country to treat them,” he said.
His comments come as opposition to the proposed facility has intensified, with protests in Nanyuki and criticism from sections of legal and political leaders who argue that Ebola treatment centres should be located closer to outbreak zones rather than in countries without active cases.
