Duale Fires Back As MPs Grill Him Over Laikipia Ebola Facility
News Updated: 03 June 2026 22:16 EAT
The Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale when he was grilled by MPs at the national assembly
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Wednesday mounted a strong defence of the government's Ebola preparedness strategy during a heated appearance before the National Assembly, where lawmakers questioned the establishment of a quarantine and isolation facility at Laikipia Air Base under a health cooperation arrangement involving the United States.
Duale dismissed concerns that the facility would expose local communities to risk, explaining that isolation centres are a standard component of infectious disease management and are typically located separately from hospitals that provide routine services to the public.
"Honorable Speaker, let me start where the Honorable member left off: that isolation centers are not part and parcel of the hospital where citizens access for other services. And it's not something only with Ebola. It is a standard procedure when an infectious disease happens, whether it is Marburg, Mpox—you name it. So even in Alupe, in any facility, even in Laikipia, it is very far. Those who come from Laikipia know the expansiveness of Laikipia Air Base—it is far from the base and all the facilities in the base."
The Health CS also sought to reassure Parliament that Kenya had not ceded any authority to foreign governments through the arrangement, maintaining that all decisions affecting public health remain under Kenyan control.
"So, Honorable Junet, I want to assure you that all the facilities which are being established, including the one in Laikipia for the protection of the people of Kenya and all persons within the Kenyan borders, they are not foreign facilities. They are not exclusive facilities. They are not facilities reserved for any nationality. They are public health assets established and coordinated under the authority of the Government of Kenya."
Duale said international partners, including the United States, only provide technical expertise, logistics, commodities and financial support within frameworks approved by Kenyan authorities and consistent with Kenyan law. He noted that the U.S. government had contributed approximately Sh1.7 billion towards Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts.
Addressing questions about the legal basis of the agreement, the Cabinet Secretary told MPs that the arrangement was not a new undertaking but part of an existing framework that had been signed and renewed by previous administrations and subjected to the required parliamentary approvals.
"But this agreement first was signed by Minister Macharia. It was again extended by my very good colleague, the current Minister for Agriculture, Kega, and when an extension is being done, it only requires one ratification by the House. So the House has passed, the way we have passed many, many other things—the many other agreements—and this is all to protect our people."
The CS further disclosed that Kenya has designated 23 isolation, quarantine and treatment centres across the country as part of a broader preparedness strategy and urged lawmakers not to focus exclusively on Laikipia.
"Honorable Nyikal, Kenyans will have a priority in admission to any of the centers including Laikipia, and we should not be very preoccupied with just one center. I don't know what is so fast about Laikipia. We have 23 centers even in my own backyard in Garissa. It's one of the counties. Tomorrow, if we agreed to put it, and we're going to put it, the people of Garissa will be saved. So we have 23 centers like Kilifi included, and Kenya is one, and let us promote one Kenya, one health, and we protect Kenyans regardless of where they come from."
Duale acknowledged that partner countries could access the facilities under existing cooperation agreements but emphasized that the centres are intended primarily to safeguard public health within Kenya and to protect both citizens and visitors in the event of an outbreak.
He also defended the government's decision against criticism from protesters who have opposed the Laikipia facility, arguing that public health policies must be guided by science and expert advice rather than demonstrations.
"Honorable Speaker, Honorable Susan talked about loud and clear. I don't know, I can't answer what is loud and clear because Kenyans, when they want to make their choice, they do it through a referendum or through public participation, not through demonstrations. And the health of our citizens cannot and will not be decided by three, four people, 10 people who will demonstrate outside Parliament tomorrow. If an Ebola outbreak, God forbid, finds itself in our country, the person and the people who will be held responsible is the current government."
The Health CS further defended Kenya's longstanding cooperation with the United States, arguing that the partnership has significantly strengthened the country's healthcare infrastructure over the years.
"Don't compare us with some other places; we are ahead, we are number one in healthcare. We have a very good relationship with the US—they spent $8 billion today, the gains we are proud of in HIV/AIDS, in malaria, in the capacity of the laboratories in Kisumu like KEMRI, CDC, Walter Reed in Kericho. Those were built because of the partnership we have with the US government."
On concerns that Kenya could become a destination for Ebola patients from affected countries, Duale insisted that international medical practice generally requires infected individuals to be treated where they are diagnosed rather than being transferred across borders.
"Mr. Speaker, I asked that question because science and international practice is when people are sick of a disease in a pandemic or an epidemic, you treat them where they are. You don't move sick people to a place where there's no disease. I would want a question to that. And Mr. Speaker, let me also say this agreement does not oblige the government to put an Ebola unit. This agreement was general."
However, he acknowledged that critically ill patients are sometimes transferred to facilities offering more advanced treatment and argued that many Kenyans would expect relatives infected abroad to be brought home if better care were available.
"Yes, Honorable Speaker, even to Honorable members sitting here: we transfer our patients from one hospital to a better another hospital. Why do we do it? Because we want them to get better care. The healthcare system—and I don't want to be misquoted—the healthcare system there and the healthcare system for a Kenyan who gets sick, I am sure all of you sitting here, if you as next of kin get Ebola in DRC, the first thing you'll do is to bring them to a better healthcare system in Kenya."
Duale concluded by reminding Parliament that Kenya currently has no confirmed Ebola cases and cautioned lawmakers against debating hypothetical situations. He said the government remains focused on preparedness and would continue strengthening its capacity to respond should a future outbreak occur.
Tags: Aden Duale Article Donald Trump DONALD TRUMP Ebola Ebola Outbreak Edit Editor's Pick Editors choice Laikipia Air base Laikipia County News Article President William Ruto Signs Signs Media Signs Media Kenya Limited Signsmedia Signst Signstv SignsTV Signstvkenya Signsv Trump Trump Donald William Ruto
Share this article
FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD