NAIROBI — Members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops are opposing the proposed establishment of an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility for American citizens who will be flown in for care in the East African country, urging the government to affirm the country’s sovereignty by protecting Kenyans.
In their statement on Tuesday about the state of the nation, the bishops said that the initiative, which was suspended by the court following public outcry, has been imposed on Kenyans without adequate public consultation or parliamentary oversight.
“We…as your shepherds committed to safeguarding the dignity and protection of our people, express our grave concern regarding the proposed establishment of an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility at Laikipia Air Base, mainly for the American citizens,” the bishops said.
The Catholic leaders explained that their opposition stems from the initiative’s lack of transparency and disclosure of its governing terms. The prelates said: “Clearly, there is an inherent threat to the lives of Kenyan citizens that must be addressed because we would be importing a deadly disease.”
They continued: “What is in this for Kenya? Is this facility in the interest of our nation, whereby Kenya as a country welcomes the treatment of foreign Ebola patients, who are not welcome to their own country, for fear and danger of infection, yet accommodated in our country at the risk of our people? Kenya must affirm its sovereignty,” they said.
The facility was reportedly intended to quarantine and monitor Americans who may have been exposed to Ebola during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
According to U.S. officials, the plan was designed to keep exposed individuals closer to the outbreak region rather than transport them immediately to the United States.
The project has generated significant public opposition in Kenya, with protests in and around Nanyuki and legal challenges arguing that the government failed to adequately consult the public and disclose the agreement with the United States.
Some demonstrations have turned violent, with reported fatalities.
Kenyaʼs Health Minister, Aden Duale has ordered an immediate halt to construction of the U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base following a court finding that he failed to comply with earlier suspension orders.
Despite previous court orders suspending the project, Reuters reported that construction activity and deliveries of equipment appeared to continue at the site until the latest order to halt work. Satellite imagery and flight-tracking data indicated ongoing activity at the air base.
The Kenyan government, led by President William Ruto, has defended the initiative, saying it forms part of broader Ebola preparedness efforts and a long-standing health partnership with the United States. U.S. officials have also stated that the project is intended to strengthen regional preparedness.
Reuters in its June 23 report indicated that the construction of the Ebola quarantine facility was ordered to stop but that the project remains embroiled in legal and political controversy.
In their June 23 statement, the Kenyan bishops said that considering the nature of the Ebola disease and what it takes to contain it, government wisdom would have required a public engagement, to build consensus on the necessity, if at all, of the facility.
The bishops further argued that the absence of meaningful public participation had already resulted in serious consequences, noting that the lack of engagement had contributed to the loss of lives during protests in Laikipia, the arrest of residents, and widespread anxiety over the possibility of an Ebola outbreak in the area.
Calling for a different approach, they urged the nation’s government to “engage in genuine, transparent dialogue with religious leaders, civil society, healthcare workers, and affected communities to explore alternative solutions” that would strengthen Kenya’s own health infrastructure and its capacity to respond to Ebola and other infectious disease threats.
The Ebola outbreak is centered in DRC and is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a relatively rare strain for which there is currently no licensed approved vaccine.
According to the latest reports, the DRC has recorded more than 1,000 confirmed cases and over 250 deaths, making this one of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks on record.
The outbreak has also spread into Uganda, where authorities have confirmed 19 cases and two deaths, many linked to importation from the DRC and subsequent local transmission
The bishops also demanded greater openness in government agreements affecting the country, including those involving the exploitation of Kenya’s natural resources.
“We demand for transparency in government deals that affect our country, including those recently struck like the exploitation of our minerals,” they said, adding that such transparency is a right of all Kenyans because the nation’s natural resources belong to its people.
At the same time, the bishops reaffirmed their willingness to collaborate with the government and international partners in strengthening public health systems.
They said they were committed to helping build “robust, equitable public health systems that protect all people, Kenyan and foreign alike, without compromising our constitutional principles or the safety of our citizens,” while also recalling that concerns surrounding the Social Health Authority (SHA) remain unresolved.
Emphasizing the need to place human dignity at the center of national decision-making, the bishops said they believe “the renewal of our nation must begin by recovering an unwavering respect for the dignity of every human person,” arguing that only a society that protects life can build justice, peace, and lasting hope.
They said that Catholic social teaching regards human dignity as the cornerstone of justice and maintains that honoring the dignity of every individual creates the conditions necessary for genuine peace and human flourishing.
The bishops further expressed confidence that Kenya possesses the spiritual resources, moral wisdom, and collective resolve needed to build a nation where every person is valued, grievances are addressed with respect, and economic systems serve the common good.
The Catholic leaders pledged to continue working alongside both the government and the Kenyan people in pursuing these goals.
“We as the Catholic Church, commit ourselves to walking alongside the government and our people in this sacred work,” they said, expressing faith in Kenya’s capacity for transformation and in the power of faith to guide the country toward justice and an environment in which human life is cherished.
This article was originally published by ACI Africa, EWTN News’ service in Africa, and has been adapted for EWTN News English.