'We don’t need public participation': Duale says gov't won't consult public on planned Laikipia Ebola facility

Appearing before the National Assembly on Wednesday, June 3, the CS explained that the situation requires urgent attention and hence all possible measures will need to be employed to prevent cross-border transmission. 

He added that the responsibility falls squarely on the government to protect its citizens. 

"Under the Public Health Act, we don’t need to do public participation; we are not going to consult citizens. Even MPs, when they fall sick, rush to the doctor to make sure they get the best treatment. This epidemic does not require any consultation," he stated. 

"Tomorrow, God forbid if Ebola is found in this country, this House will call me back here to ask why Kenyans are dying. Before Kenyans are infected, the government has a responsibility to protect them."

The CS also wondered why legislators would reject quarantine facilities to be established in their counties, questioning where infected people would seek medical attention. 

"If every county refuses to set up a quarantine facility, where will we treat Kenyans? Are we going to treat them up in the air? We, as the government, have a responsibility," he noted. 

"We can still create another isolation centre in one of our barracks in any part of the country. The facilities will be used to treat both Kenyans and foreigners. Let’s not politicise it."

He assured Kenyans that the Laikipia facility would serve both Kenyan and American citizens, noting that no one would be excluded from receiving treatment services. 

"Laikipia will protect both Kenyans and the US citizens. When we had Covid, the UN, US and many other international bodies built a UN specialised hospital in Nairobi Hospital to deal with Covid, but there was no noise that time."