David Maraga questions govt ‘hypocrisy’ after U-turn on Ebola quarantine policy

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 12 — Former Chief Justice David Maraga has accused President William Ruto of hypocrisy over the government’s position on Ebola quarantine facilities, revisiting the deadly June protests against a planned US-linked isolation centre as Kenya begins a 42-day countdown towards being declared Ebola-free.

Maraga criticised Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s Wednesday announcement that Kenya would not serve as a quarantine destination for any other jurisdiction, arguing that the government had previously defended arrangements to host a facility for foreign nationals exposed to Ebola.

He said the government had disregarded public opposition to the proposed centre in Laikipia, where demonstrations in June left two young Kenyans dead after police opened fire on protesters.

“President Ruto sold out Kenya’s safety, sovereignty and dignity to serve American interests,” Maraga said in a statement on Thursday, describing the government’s current position as hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy.

The protests erupted over plans to establish a 50-bed isolation and quarantine facility for US citizens potentially exposed to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola during outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Residents and local leaders questioned why Kenya, which had not recorded an Ebola case at the time, should assume the public health and economic risks associated with hosting the facility.

Two people were reportedly shot dead during the initial clashes with a third fatality reported days later during further protests where several other demonstrators and bystanders sustained injuries.

The deaths have continued to raise questions about accountability, with police yet to provide a substantive public account of their response to the demonstrations.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also faced criticism over the pace and transparency of its investigations.

Although the authority documented the deaths of Charles Mang’aro Mwangi, Sylvester Muigai Ndung’u and a third unidentified victim, it has not publicly provided a substantive update on the status of its ballistic and witness investigations.

The Law Society of Kenya has separately accused IPOA of stalling investigations into alleged human rights violations arising from protests and police operations, raising concerns over the lack of accountability for abuses attributed to law enforcement officers.

Maraga questioned why the government had defended the proposed facility and used police force against protesters if, as Duale now maintains, Kenya has no obligation to host quarantine centres for other countries.

The United Green Movement (UGM) Party Leader also faulted the government for adopting a position similar to that of the protesters without acknowledging the deaths or addressing the circumstances in which they occurred.

His criticism comes as the Ministry of Health announced that Kenya had discharged its last Ebola patient and released the final eleven contacts from monitoring after completing the required 21-day observation period.

The first imported Bundibugyo virus disease case was confirmed on October 6. Kenya recorded nine confirmed cases in one transmission cluster, with all 135 identified contacts traced and monitored.

The 42-day countdown began on Thursday, November 12, with the country expected to be declared Ebola-free under WHO guidelines around December 23 if no new infections are reported.

Duale said Kenya remained open for business, tourism, trade and travel, with no restrictions on movement or public gatherings.

The CS urged countries that had imposed travel or visa restrictions on Kenya to review them.