Two people shot dead as Kenyans protest against quarantine plan

Two people have been shot dead in the central Kenyan town of Nanyuki during protests against United States plans to establish an Ebola isolation centre at a military base nearby, the BBC has learnt.

One of the victims was shot in an area close to the Laikipia Airbase where a demonstration was taking place. He died after being brought to the town’s hospital by friends.

The other victim was already dead when he was taken to the hospital by soldiers.

The circumstances of their deaths are not clear, and officials have not commented on the matter. A police spokesman told the Reuters news agency he was not aware of any deaths.

On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators marched through the town’s streets, blocking roads and burning tyres, with police firing tear gas to disperse them.

Community leader Patrick Wahome told the BBC that one of those who died was shot when he “was heading home after closing his business”.

The BBC has been unable to confirm the circumstances in which the second man died. Both bodies, which are in the hospital morgue, appear to have gunshot wounds, one in the chest and the other on the shoulder.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has condemned the recent attack and destruction of a treatment facility responding to the Bundibugyo Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). warning that misinformation and community mistrust could undermine efforts to contain the disease.

In a statement released on the incident in Ituri Province, Africa CDC expressed deep concern over acts of violence targeting health facilities, healthcare workers, patients, and response teams engaged in controlling the outbreak.

The continental health agency noted that outbreaks often generate fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and social distress among affected populations, adding that such concerns must be addressed through empathy, transparency, dialogue, and sustained community engagement.

irector General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, said communities should not be viewed as adversaries during outbreak responses, stressing that fear, misinformation, mistrust, and poor engagement often present greater challenges than the disease itself.

“Our responsibility as public health institutions is not only to provide treatment and technical support, but also to listen, engage honestly, build trust, and work alongside communities every step of the way,” Kaseya said.

Advertisement

He warned that attacks on treatment centres and response teams place communities at greater risk by disrupting critical services such as patient care, disease surveillance, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures.

According to Africa CDC, the destruction of health facilities makes outbreaks more difficult to contain, endangers frontline workers, and deprives vulnerable populations of access to life-saving healthcare services.

The agency expressed particular concern that community mistrust and misinformation could evolve into a parallel crisis alongside the Bundibugyo Virus Disease outbreak.

It noted that lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks in eastern DRC, including the 2018–2020 North Kivu epidemic, demonstrated that technical interventions alone are insufficient to stop disease transmission without community trust and participation.

Despite the challenges, Africa CDC highlighted signs of progress in the response effort. It cited the recent discharge of Ebola survivors in Bunia as a symbol of hope that could strengthen public confidence and encourage affected communities to seek treatment early.

The agency said survivors can play a critical role in combating misconceptions and promoting community ownership of the response through their lived experiences. It also pointed to the training and deployment of Community Health Workers as a key strategy for improving awareness, surveillance, infection prevention and control, and other response activities.

Kaseya emphasised the need for responders to approach communities with humility, respect, and solidarity, stressing that local populations must remain at the centre of the response effort.

“The recovery of survivors demonstrates that early detection and quality care save lives. By working alongside communities, supporting frontline health workers, and building trust through meaningful engagement, we can overcome this outbreak together,” he said.

Africa CDC reaffirmed that Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) remains a core pillar of the outbreak response and announced plans to intensify support for national authorities and partners through social listening, rumour management, behavioural insights, and community-led engagement initiatives.

The agency said it would continue mobilising technical and operational resources to strengthen local engagement capacities and promote dialogue between health responders, community leaders, and affected populations.

Africa CDC also called on all stakeholders to protect healthcare workers, health infrastructure, and affected communities in line with humanitarian and public health principles.

The organisation reiterated its solidarity with the government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, frontline responders, and communities affected by the Bundibugyo Virus Disease outbreak as efforts continue to curb transmission and safeguard public health under difficult conditions.