Kenyan high court suspends plan for US Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya

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

High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi said in her orders late on May 28 that Kenya was also not allowed to admit anyone exposed to or infected by Ebola under the planned agreement with the United States, until a case challenging the deal was heard and determined.

On May 28, 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 develop symptoms, but instead send them to a third country.

Kenya rights group Katiba Institute went to court on May 28 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, the judge said in her order. REUTERS