Kenyan police fired tear gas on Tuesday to disperse protesters in Nanyuki, opposing the rapid construction of an Ebola quarantine center for Americans by the U.S. government, despite court orders.
Later on Tuesday, at least one person was shot during a protest. Multiple witnesses said that they saw the man’s body lying motionless with a bullet wound in the back of his head in a police van.
The proposed 50-bed unit on an air force base has sparked anger. Kenyans accuse the U.S. of offloading health risks from the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
This frustration led to two deaths in protests last week in Nanyuki, as authorities reaffirmed their commitment despite court orders.
Police again fired tear gas on Tuesday. A demonstrator carried a white cross emblazoned with “Respect Ebola” in red.
Donald Trump’s administration stated it “cannot and will not allow” cases to enter the U.S., unlike the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak when infected U.S. nationals were treated on American soil.
The Nanyuki facility is for asymptomatic Americans exposed to the virus; symptomatic patients would be sent elsewhere, U.S. officials said. Despite court orders, U.S. military planes continue to ferry personnel and equipment, according to sources and flight-tracking data.
Satellite imagery shows tents building up within an 11-acre plot cleared at the Laikipia Air Base since May 27.
The United States acknowledged the court challenge, stating it was “working with the Kenyan government to resolve objections.”
However, Kenyan officials’ claims that the facility would also serve Kenyans and foreign nationals have not been confirmed by U.S. officials.
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