Kenyan high court halts US Ebola quarantine facility plan

Court blocks US-Kenya Ebola deal after rights group challenge citing lack of public participation in secretive deal

A Kenyan high court has suspended a plan for a US Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya. (Zohra Bensemra)

A Kenyan high court has ordered the temporary suspension of plans for the US to set up an Ebola quarantine facility in the country.

High court judge Patricia Nyaundi said in her orders late on Thursday that Kenya was also not allowed to admit anyone exposed to or infected by Ebola under the planned agreement with the US until a case challenging the deal was heard and determined.

On Thursday, the White House said the US was setting up a facility in Kenya to quarantine US citizens who had been exposed to Ebola, and would not bring them home if they developed symptoms but instead send them to a third country.

Kenya rights group Katiba Institute went to court on Thursday to challenge the plan.

“The secretive, unilateral establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility raises grave constitutional concerns regarding the rights to life, health, fair administrative action, public participation, and parliamentary oversight,” the rights group said.

The next hearing for the case will be on June 2, Nyaundi said in her order.

Reuters


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