Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has praised the High Court for suspending plans to establish an Ebola treatment centre in Kenya, terming the decision a victory for public safety and the rule of law.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Mr Gachagua accused President William Ruto’s administration of endangering the lives of Kenyans through what he described as a reckless health policy.
“The judiciary must at all times remain steady as the last line of defence in saving the Kenyan public from the excesses of a rogue regime that has gone berserk with sheer impunity,” Mr Gachagua said.
He said he welcomed the High Court ruling that temporarily halted the proposed establishment of the Ebola centre, claiming the move would have exposed millions of Kenyans to danger.
“I salute and welcome the High Court of Kenya ruling on putting brakes on the evil scheme to establish an Ebola centre in our country putting millions of lives at risk,” he said.
The former deputy president also commended health professionals and members of the public who opposed the plan, saying they had demonstrated courage by speaking out against the government.
“I commend the people of Kenya especially our health professionals for boldly speaking out against this reckless and ill-thought-out misadventure by Mr William Ruto,” he said.
The controversy surrounding the proposed Ebola facility has sparked heated debate in recent weeks, with sections of leaders, medics and civil society groups demanding greater transparency from the government over the project’s objectives, funding and safety protocols.
Concerns intensified after reports emerged alleging that the facility would handle highly infectious viral diseases at a time when neighbouring countries continue to strengthen surveillance systems against cross-border outbreaks. Critics questioned whether Kenya’s health infrastructure was adequately prepared to safely manage such a facility without exposing the public to potential risks.
The government, however, has maintained that Kenya has previously handled dangerous infectious diseases and has built capacity through institutions such as the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and specialised isolation units established during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health authorities have also argued that strengthening disease surveillance and emergency response systems is necessary as global health threats continue to evolve, especially following recent Ebola outbreaks reported in parts of East and Central Africa.
Mr Gachagua nevertheless accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of mismanagement, corruption and state capture, arguing that the government had lost public trust.
“Kenyans will not allow a desperate regime to endanger their lives after messing up the country through mismanagement, corruption, conflict of interest and state capture,” he said.
The remarks add to the widening political fallout between Mr Gachagua and President Ruto, months after the former deputy president intensified criticism of the administration following his fallout with the ruling coalition leadership.
Mr Gachagua maintained that other countries were taking measures to shield their citizens from pandemics while Kenya was allegedly taking the opposite direction.
“While other nations are protecting their people against health pandemics, Kenya’s William Ruto is exposing the Kenyan people to death,” he said.
The government had not formally responded to the remarks by Friday evening.
