Gachagua demands media access to Laikipia Air Base, claims construction continues despite court order as government insists project is part of national disease preparedness efforts.
BUNGOMA, County—Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has challenged President William Ruto’s administration to grant journalists unrestricted access to Laikipia Air Base to independently verify the status of a controversial Ebola quarantine and isolation facility that has sparked political and legal disputes across the country.
Speaking during a church service in Kanduyi, Bungoma County, on Sunday, Gachagua accused the government of concealing the true status of the project and claimed that construction activities linked to the proposed facility were continuing despite official denials and ongoing court proceedings.
“We want that Airbase opened for the press to go and confirm whether the construction is going on or not,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President, who was accompanied by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and other opposition leaders, called for independent verification by the media, arguing that government assurances that the project had been halted could not be taken at face value.
Gachagua alleged that heavy construction activity was ongoing around the Nanyuki area, claiming that hundreds of trucks continued to ferry building materials to the site despite a court order preserving the status quo.
“I heard Duale saying they will obey the court order. That is a lie. That thing is ongoing,” he claimed.
The opposition leader further alleged that Kenya was already facing international repercussions over the proposed facility, claiming that concerns surrounding the project had contributed to travel restrictions affecting Kenyan travellers.
“Please William Ruto, you have hurt us, you have harassed us, but bringing us Ebola? You’ve gone too far now,” Gachagua said.
Heated debate
His remarks come amid an escalating political and legal dispute over the proposed Ebola exposure, quarantine, isolation or treatment facility reportedly planned at Laikipia Air Base under a partnership involving the United States.
The project has faced growing opposition from local leaders, residents and civil society groups, who have raised concerns over public participation, public health implications and the potential impact on Laikipia’s tourism-dependent economy.
On June 2, the High Court issued conservatory orders directing that the status quo be maintained regarding the proposed facility after a petition challenging the project was filed.
The orders effectively barred any further steps towards the establishment or operationalisation of the facility pending further court directions.
Despite the court order, critics of the project continue to insist that activities associated with the facility are ongoing, allegations that have intensified calls for transparency from the government.
President William Ruto has repeatedly defended Kenya’s Ebola preparedness programme, dismissing criticism of the proposed facility and maintaining that the country is strengthening disease surveillance, emergency response and public health preparedness systems.
During a media roundtable on June 1, the President said Kenya had not recorded any Ebola cases and insisted that the planned facility formed part of a broader national preparedness framework similar to existing isolation and treatment centres.
“We are a responsible government, and we know what we are doing,” Ruto said, while urging political leaders not to politicise public health interventions.
The controversy has deepened further after the Laikipia County Government formally opposed the project in court filings, arguing that county authorities were not adequately consulted and raising concerns about public health, tourism and the welfare of students in institutions located within the airbase compound.
As the legal battle continues, pressure is mounting on the government to provide greater transparency regarding the project, with opposition leaders now demanding direct media access to the site as questions over the facility’s status persist.
