Nanyuki protests intensify over Ebola facility and teenager's death
via Tuko3 min read
Protests erupted in Nanyuki on June 9 against the construction of a US-linked Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base, intended to house American citizens infected with Ebola from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Local communities opposed the 50-bed facility, citing the risk of the virus spreading and a lack of public consultation. The shooting death of 17-year-old Sylvester Muigai Ndung'u during the demonstrations further fueled public anger, with witnesses claiming he was shot by police. Despite a High Court order halting the facility's opening, construction has reportedly continued. President William Ruto defended the project, calling stopping it "inhuman." Photographs of police officers wearing uniforms resembling those of the British Army Training Unit Kenya during the protests have raised questions, though the British High Commission denied involvement. Prominent Kenyan lawyer Dr. Miguna Miguna criticized the government's defiance of judicial authority. Activists are planning new protests for June 25 in Nanyuki to demand justice for Sylvester Muigai Ndung'u and the cancellation of the Ebola facility.
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