Key facts
- Kenyan police shot and killed a protester during demonstrations against a U.S.-built Ebola quarantine center.
- Protesters opposed the facility due to concerns about potential Ebola carriers on Kenyan soil.
- Police used tear gas and live bullets, and detained 19 protesters.
- A Nairobi court had temporarily blocked the facility's establishment, but the U.S. plans to proceed.
- The U.S. plans to send 30 medical personnel to staff the 50-bed facility.
- Two people were killed in protests the previous week.
Kenyan police shot and killed a protester during demonstrations against a U.S.-built Ebola quarantine center for Americans exposed to the virus. Patrick Wahome, a protest organizer, was identified as the deceased, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The proposed 50-bed facility at the Laikipia Air Base has sparked widespread anger, with many Kenyans accusing the U.S. of offloading health risks from outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Police dispersed crowds with tear gas and live bullets, arresting 19 protesters, despite a court order temporarily blocking the facility's establishment. U.S. military planes have continued to deliver staff and equipment, and President William Ruto has stated Kenya is doing the 'right thing' by proceeding. The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.