Former Chief Justice David Maraga has raised questions about the government’s preparedness and response following confirmation of Kenya’s first imported Ebola case.
Maraga questioned the effectiveness of measures put in place to detect and manage possible Ebola cases at the country’s points of entry.
His remarks came after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years died while receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital on Monday night.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the case on Tuesday, saying the patient had fallen ill about a month ago and had received treatment at several health facilities in the DRC before travelling to Kenya.
According to Duale, the patient travelled by road from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, before taking a Jambojet flight to Nairobi on Saturday, October 3.
The patient underwent routine public health screening at the Port Health facility at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) before proceeding through immigration, Duale said.
He was then taken directly from the airport to Nairobi Hospital by a relative and a friend. At the hospital, the patient was isolated before being transferred to the East Wing Isolation Facility, where he received supportive treatment.
Duale said the patient died at about 11.30 pm on Monday.
Maraga questioned how the patient was able to pass through airport screening despite having been unwell for several weeks.
He also raised concerns about the government’s earlier preparedness measures, including plans for a 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base.
Maraga said the government should prioritise measures aimed at protecting Kenyans from public health threats and called for support for people identified as contacts.
He also called for greater transparency in the management of the Ebola response. Maraga, who is a co-party leader of the United Green Movement, has announced his intention to contest the presidency in the 2027 General Election.
His comments came as the Ministry of Health intensified contact tracing following confirmation of the case. Duale said 28 contacts linked to the deceased had been identified.
They include family members and healthcare workers who attended to the patient. Health authorities are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same flight as the patient.
Duale said arrangements were being made to quarantine people considered to be at risk. The CS said Kenya had maintained a high level of alert for Ebola since the outbreak began in May.
As of October 6, 652,584 travellers had been screened, while 267 samples had been tested across five laboratories, Duale said.
Only one test had returned positive — that of the deceased patient. Duale also said 4,971 healthcare workers at national and county levels had been trained on Ebola prevention and response.
The government has notified the World Health Organisation of the case in line with the International Health Regulations.
Ministry of Health Director General Patrick Amoth also addressed questions about how the patient passed through airport screening.
Amoth said the patient may have passed through the screening process because medication he had been taking could have masked some of his symptoms.
He said the patient had been undergoing treatment in the DRC before travelling to Kenya through Uganda.
The government has said the patient was quickly isolated after arriving at Nairobi Hospital and that contact tracing and other containment measures were under way.
Duale said arrangements for the patient’s safe and dignified burial were also being made in line with Ebola public health protocols.
The Ministry has urged members of the public to remain calm while observing preventive measures and cooperating with health authorities.
