Between a court decision requesting a halt to work, and angry protests around the city of Nanyuki, a quarantine facility linked to the Ebola threat continued to gradually emerge inside Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya.
Satellite images analyzed by the open source unit of the Al Jazeera Network, and taken by Planet Labs PBC between May 27 and June 8, 2026, showed rapid progress in the work of preparing the site designated for a quarantine and field monitoring facility, which Washington says is intended for Americans who may be exposed to the Ebola virus during their work in the outbreak areas.
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A comparison of the images reveals that the site moved within a few days from almost empty land to an area that was cleared and paved, with the appearance of tents and field equipment within the borders of the base, in a development that coincides with an escalating legal and popular controversy regarding the project.
From empty land to prepared site
According to the analysis of the Open Source Unit, satellite images show that work inside the site accelerated within a short period, including clearing and leveling the land and preparing a field space inside the air base.
The total area cleared within the boundaries of the site is estimated at approximately 40,000 square metres, equivalent to approximately 10 acres. By June 2, indicators of construction activity began to appear clearly, through a change in surface color and the appearance of corridors, pavements, tents, or temporary facilities.
The photos alone do not reveal the nature of each facility on the site or its level of readiness, but they document a rapid transition in the condition of the ground within less than two weeks, which reinforces indicators of the continuation of work despite the controversy surrounding the project.
What is the stated purpose of the facility?
Washington says the facility is intended for quarantine and field monitoring of Americans who may be exposed to the Ebola virus while working in outbreak areas, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, rather than transporting them directly to the United States.
According to American statements, the plan aims to subject people at risk, who do not show symptoms, to quarantine for a period of 21 days. Those who develop symptoms later are transferred to another location to receive treatment.
US officials said that the facility’s initial capacity is 50 beds, and that it is designed in its first phase for people exposed to the virus without symptoms.
Judicial decision and ongoing actions
The pace of construction gains additional importance because it comes with a legal dispute inside Kenya. Reuters reported that a Kenyan court first ordered – on May 28 – a halt to work at the facility, and then later extended the ban for an additional 3 weeks, demanding that the government reveal the agreement concluded with Washington.
However, the agency said that US military flights continued to arrive at the base, and that work continued at the site.
Satellite images give a visual dimension to this story, as they show rapid changes within the area designated for the facility during the period following the court’s decision.
Ruto defends and the street protests
On the other hand, Kenyan President William Ruto defended the project, saying that his government was doing “the right thing” by allowing the United States to establish the facility, adding that rejecting the American request would be “inhumane.”
Ruto also presented the project – according to Reuters – as part of a broader plan to enhance Kenya’s health preparedness and ability to deal with epidemiological threats.
But these reassurances did not end the controversy, as Nanyuki witnessed escalating protests against the facility, amid popular fears of bringing the threat of Ebola to the region, and criticism of what opponents see as a lack of transparency in the decision and agreement with the United States.
The police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the gatherings, amid security tensions in the area, and media reports indicated that at least two protesters were killed.
Health project or crisis of confidence?
The project has transformed from a field health facility – as presented by Washington and Nairobi – into a political and popular issue within Kenya. Concerns are not only related to the Ebola virus itself, but also to who has the decision to establish the facility, the nature of the agreement with the United States, safety and transparency guarantees, and the location of the project within a military base in a populated area.
Satellite images reveal that the controversy has not slowed the pace of progress inside the site as much as the protesters or the initial judicial decision expected, as the facility appears to be in the process of transitioning from an announced plan to a rapidly emerging field reality.
Between the American narrative that says the facility is intended to protect vulnerable citizens, and the Kenyan protests that see it as a potential health and sovereignty threat, the satellite images raise a new question before the Kenyan government: Why are the works progressing so quickly while the court and the street are still demanding more transparency?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is witnessing an outbreak of the “Bundebugyo” strain of the Ebola virus, which was announced on May 15, and has so far resulted in more than a thousand suspected cases and about 220 deaths, which reinforces fears of broader regional repercussions.
The administration of US President Donald Trump had chosen not to receive Americans exposed to the virus on its soil. Instead, Washington directed some infected citizens to European countries. An American doctor who was working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was transferred to Germany for treatment, and another American “missionary” was transferred to the Czech Republic.
