Former Chief Justice David Maraga has questioned the government’s handling of the controversial Ebola quarantine arrangement, accusing President William Ruto’s administration of changing its position after previously defending a plan that attracted protests and public opposition.
In a statement issued on Thursday, November 12, Maraga criticised Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s announcement that Kenya would not allow foreign governments to use its territory as a quarantine destination for travellers required to undergo isolation before entering their respective countries.
Maraga argued that the latest announcement contradicted the government’s earlier position on the proposed arrangement, particularly its support for establishing a quarantine facility in Laikipia County.
The proposal sparked opposition approximately five months ago, with residents and other Kenyans questioning why the country would host a facility intended to serve foreign governments.
The concerns centred on national sovereignty, public health risks and the country’s involvement in international quarantine arrangements.
According to Maraga, demonstrations against the proposed facility were met with police force, leading to the deaths of two young Kenyans who had taken part in the protests.
He questioned why the government had defended the arrangement despite the public opposition and legal challenges that followed.
The former Chief Justice also challenged the administration to explain why it had taken so long to adopt a position that appeared to address the concerns raised by Kenyans.
“If serving as a quarantine hub had ‘no basis in International Health Regulations’, why was it signed, defended and enforced with police violence in the first place?” Maraga posed.
He further demanded accountability over the deaths of the protesters, arguing that the government should explain its earlier actions instead of simply distancing itself from the controversial arrangement.
His remarks came a day after Duale announced that Kenya would not serve as a quarantine destination for foreign travellers seeking to fulfil isolation requirements imposed by their home countries.
The Health CS maintained that the Ministry of Health would not issue documents certifying completion of quarantine or Ebola-free status for international travel.
The announcement followed the discharge of Kenya’s last Ebola patient on November 11, alongside the release of the final 11 people who had been under monitoring.
Kenya began a mandatory 42-day surveillance period on November 12. The Ministry of Health has projected December 23, 2026, as the date the country could be declared Ebola-free, provided no new infections are detected.
However, Duale declined to explain what would happen to the proposed Laikipia isolation facility, saying the matter was already before the courts.
Maraga concluded by questioning the administration’s handling of the arrangement, insisting that the government must account for the decisions it made when Kenyans first raised objections.
The controversy has therefore resurfaced as Kenya enters the final phase of monitoring following the Ebola outbreak.