Nanyuki residents have expressed mixed reactions after Kenya recorded its first Ebola case, raising concerns over the government’s preparedness to contain the disease.
The residents are calling for clear information on containment measures, including the possible use of the controversial quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base.
Some residents want the government to consider using the quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base to manage Kenyan patients, arguing that the move could help contain the spread of the disease.
The facility previously sparked controversy in Nanyuki, with residents staging demonstrations against plans to use it for Ebola patients. The protests resulted in the deaths of two people.
Residents are now demanding clear information on the country’s level of preparedness, including the capacity of health facilities, availability of medical equipment and measures in place to prevent further infections.
They are also urging the government to strengthen its response as the country prepares for El Niño rains, warning that possible flooding could create additional challenges for healthcare services and disease control.
Residents are further calling for regular updates on the Ebola situation and the measures being taken to safeguard the public.
‘We don’t have an Ebola outbreak’
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has however moved to ally fears of Kenyans that the country is having a full-blown outbreak of the disease.
In an interview with NTV on Wednesday, October 7, CS Duale insisted that the reported case is an imported incident involving a patient who travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He assured the nation that the Ministry of Health had put in place Ebola response measures.
“We don’t have an Ebola outbreak in Kenya, what we have is an imported Ebola incident just like what happened in Germany or France,” Duale said. “Since May of 2026, when the Ebola outbreak was confirmed and announced by both WHO and Africa CDC, we were not caught off guard like COVID,” he said.
