The United States has praised Kenya for its role in supporting efforts to combat the spread of the Ebola virus amid controversy surrounding the construction of an Ebola quarantine facility in the country.
The recognition came after a meeting between President William Ruto and the U.S. senior advisor for arab and African affairs, Massad Boulos, on Tuesday, June 9, in Oslo, Norway.
In a statement following the meeting, Boulos thanked President Ruto for Kenya’s “steadfast partnership” in responding to Ebola and emphasized the critical role both countries play in containing the disease.
“We discussed U.S.-Kenyan cooperation to respond to Ebola, and I thanked President Ruto for his steadfast partnership,” Boulos stated.
President William Ruto with Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui during a meeting in Oslo, Norway on June 9, 2026
PCS
William Samoei Ruto
“Both of our nations have vital roles to play in fighting this outbreak and protecting our populations,” he added.
The U.S. official also revealed that the Trump administration had contributed more than Ksh 25.8 billion (USD 200Million) in direct support to Ebola response efforts.
The funding is in addition to Ksh 45.2 billion (USD 350 million) allocated for Ebola response and other humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Uganda as part of a broader Ksh 232 billion (USD 1.8 billion) contribution to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The discussions came amid heightened protests in Laikipia over a planned Ebola quarantine facility backed by the Trump administration.
On Tuesday, before the meeting, there was a mass protest in Nanyuki over the same, where one person was killed, and over 50 were arrested during the protests.
Despite a court order barring the construction of the facility, the construction has reportedly commenced, raising questions over the power the executive and the uis government have over the courts.
The meeting also covered a range of regional issues, including efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, with both sides stressing the need for a humanitarian truce and a permanent ceasefire.
“We also covered the critical importance of achieving a humanitarian truce in Sudan, followed by a permanent ceasefire. We emphasized that external actors must cease fueling the conflict through military support to the warring parties,” Boulos said after the meeting.
An image showing individuals getting screened at a checkpoint in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
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EAC