(NEW YORK) — Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has halted construction of the U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base after being found in contempt of court for allowing work to continue despite a court order.
Duale appeared before the High Court in Nairobi on Tuesday and said he directed “the immediate and complete cessation of any intended construction, site preparations or related activities” concerning the facility.
“It was never the intention of the ministry or myself as the Cabinet Secretary to disregard, undermine, or act in defiance of the orders,” he said.
Duale also told the court he would be “the last person to disregard a court order” and “the last person to violate any constitutional order given by any court.”
Last month, the White House confirmed the U.S. was setting up a health facility in Kenya to receive Americans who were exposed to Ebola in regions affected by the outgoing outbreak.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are at least 1,048 confirmed cases of Ebola, of which 267 have died, according to the country’s health ministry. In Uganda, there are 20 confirmed cases, of which two have died, according to UNICEF.
An administration official said at the time that the U.S. was establishing a “state-of-the-art facility” in Kenya “through a coordinated effort with the Departments of State, Health and Human Services and War.”
The official said the purpose of the 50-bed facility would be to “provide access to high-quality care for Americans who would need to quickly get out” of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to quarantine, and argued that it would cut down on the “risks of a lengthy transport back to the U.S.” The proposal was support by Kenya’s President William Ruto.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously said that no Ebola cases would be allowed into the U.S.
The proposal led to protests with hundreds taking to the streets. During one demonstration, at least two people died and others were injured.
Just days after the White House confirmed the plans, a Kenyan court temporarily halted the proposal with Kenyan High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi upholding that decision and ordering the Kenyan government to cease all building and operations at the base while the case is resolved.
ABC News obtained high-resolution satellite photos showing the construction project was underway despite the court orders.
On Monday, Duale was found in contempt of court for failing to halt the construction of the facility.
The court accepted Duale’s apology on Tuesday and discharged him with a warning, saying that he would face sentencing if there was any indication he disobeyed its orders again. The injunction stopping the construction was extended until a hearing on July 23.
“Today was an important moment for justice in Kenya,” Nora Mbagathi, executive director of Kenya’s Katiba Institute, an organization that is challenging the U.S. facility plan, told ABC News.
“By appearing in court and confirming that construction of the quarantine facility has been halted, Duale has affirmed the government’s recognition that they are not above the Constitution,” the message continued. “His apology to the Court and the people of Kenya is an important moment not just for our courts but for our democracy and rule of law.”
ABC News’ Camila Alcini, Emily Chang, Nicholas Kerr, Christopher Looft, Luis Martinez and Zoe Magee contributed to this report.
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