Kenya’s Health Minister Aden Duale apologized to the High Court on Tuesday after being found in contempt over a controversial US-backed Ebola quarantine facility, insisting that the government had not deliberately defied court orders.
Duale appeared before High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi for mitigation, a day after the court ruled that he had allowed work to continue on the planned 50-bed quarantine and isolation facility at Laikipia Air Base despite orders suspending the project.
The minister said any failure to comply with the court’s directives resulted from a misunderstanding, not an attempt to undermine the judiciary. He told the court that the Health Ministry and the wider government remained committed to the rule of law and respect for judicial authority.
The hearing marked a rare appearance by a sitting Kenyan Cabinet minister before the High Court in a contempt case, highlighting the growing legal and political pressure surrounding the facility.
On Monday, Judge Nyaundi ruled that Duale was in continuing contempt of orders issued on May 28 and confirmed on June 2.
“I find that in commissioning the ongoing construction of the facility at Laikipia, the 2nd respondent, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, is in continuing contempt of the orders of the court,” the judge said.
The facility, located at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki, about 200 kilometers north of Nairobi, was intended to accommodate Americans potentially exposed to Ebola while working in response operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other affected countries in the region.
Duale told the court that the government’s actions had been guided by scientific advice and public health concerns amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak. He argued that Kenyan and US authorities had suspended the proposed collaboration after conservatory orders were issued.
He said officials understood the court’s directives to apply to the implementation of the bilateral arrangement with Washington, rather than to broader public health preparedness measures.
The health minister also defended Kenya’s need for isolation capacity, citing risks faced by Kenyan peacekeepers serving in eastern Congo under UN missions, as well as travelers arriving from Ebola-affected areas.
Duale said he advised President William Ruto against attending a conference in Congo-Brazzaville in May because of Ebola-related health concerns, after which the president delivered his remarks virtually.
According to Duale, members of a presidential advance team that had already traveled to Congo-Brazzaville were quarantined for 21 days after returning to Kenya.
The minister also told the court that he had ordered the suspension of any intended construction, site preparation or related activities at the Laikipia facility pending the hearing and determination of the main petition.
The project has become one of Kenya’s most contentious public health initiatives, drawing legal challenges, protests and criticism from opposition politicians, civil society groups and local leaders.
The controversy intensified after Ruto said he had approved the facility following a request from US President Donald Trump, describing the plan as part of Kenya’s long-standing health partnership with the United States.
Opponents argue that the government failed to adequately consult local communities and ignored concerns about public safety and legal oversight.
Demonstrations in Laikipia County have turned deadly, with at least three people killed during protests linked to the facility, according to police, witnesses and rights groups.