A man was shot dead by Kenyan police during a protest against a proposed Ebola quarantine facility for US citizens in Nanyuki, 120 miles from Nairobi. Patrick Wahome, an organizer of the protests, confirmed the death from a gunshot wound to the head. Reporters saw the body in a police van with a severe head wound. A police spokesperson said he had no information about the incident.
Protest Details
Dozens of demonstrators gathered near Laikipia airbase, the proposed site for the facility, some wearing protective gear and carrying a coffin marked with “Ebola.” Police used teargas and arrested several people. The Kenya Human Rights Commission reported that hooded officers fired live bullets and arrested 19 protesters arbitrarily.
Opposition to the Facility
Protesters oppose the center because they do not want potential carriers of the highly contagious disease in Kenya. National anger has risen in recent weeks, with two people killed in a protest in the same town on Monday last week.
The US government plans to send 30 medical personnel to staff the 50-bed facility. A Nairobi court temporarily blocked the establishment of the facility and the admission of people exposed to Ebola, following a petition by the Katiba Institute. The court also barred the Kenyan government from proceeding until the case is resolved, with the next hearing set for 23 June.
Kenyan President William Ruto has vowed to continue with the plan, citing the country's debt to Washington for years of aid.
Regional Ebola Outbreak
Health officials in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are battling an Ebola outbreak declared on 15 May, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no vaccine or approved treatment. The WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern. As of 6 June, the DRC reported 515 confirmed cases and 91 deaths, while Uganda reported 19 confirmed cases and two deaths, plus one probable death. No cases have been reported in Kenya.
