U.S. Officials respond on an aircraft spotted flying into Laikipia Airbase
U.S. officials have broken their silence after widespread speculation surrounding an aircraft seen landing at the Laikipia airbase.
U.S. officials have broken their silence after widespread speculation surrounding an aircraft seen landing at the Laikipia airbase.
The US Embassy in Kenya has dismissing claims that Americans exposed to Ebola had already arrived in the country.
The officials clarified that the aircraft was carrying equipment and healthcare personnel tasked with preparing a proposed quarantine facility.
Further, the embassy revealed that the flight had already departed before a court order halting the project was issued.
U.S. officials further explained that construction of the quarantine facility, which was expected to take less than a month to complete, has since stopped following the court ruling.
They emphasized that the proposed facility had been designed to meet strict public health requirements and reduce contamination risks should it become operational.
The officials also defended the decision to use Laikipia airbase as the proposed location, saying the site was selected because of its isolated position away from densely populated areas.
According to the officials, discussions surrounding the project began nearly two weeks earlier as authorities explored ways to protect the large international community and humanitarian organizations operating within Kenya.
They further argued that Kenya was selected because of its strategic role as a regional and global transport hub, pointing to the large number of international flights and cargo trucks entering and leaving the country daily.
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This comes a day after President William Ruto broke his silence on the proposed facility.
In an interview on Monday, June 1, he said he approved the facility to be established at Laikipia Air Base following a request from the US government.
Ruto explained that his decision was informed by the strong ties between Kenya and the US, describing the relationship as mutually beneficial.
“Our partnership with the American government is a partnership that is mutually beneficial to us and to them. When President Trump asked the government of Kenya to support them by having a center in Laikipia Airbase, I gave the okay because it was an agreement and partnership with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30-40 years,” he said.
Ruto noted that the US government has supported Kenya over the years and deployed huge resources to tackle diseases, including HIV and Aids.
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