Gachagua: I thought Ebola centre reports in Laikipia were AI fake news
By Kenneth Mwenda, May 31, 2026Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has stated that he initially dismissed reports about a planned Ebola isolation and quarantine facility in Laikipia as fake news and artificial intelligence-generated misinformation.
Speaking during a Sunday service at AIC Karen on May 31, 2026, Gachagua said he only accepted the reports as true after his son, a medical doctor, confirmed them to him in person.
“I actually thought it was fake news. I thought it was AI. It has taken me some time until my son, who is a medical doctor, Dr Keith, came to see me yesterday morning and told me it is true,” he said.
Gachagua said he was alarmed by claims that the United States was unwilling to treat Ebola patients on its soil and was instead seeking another country to host them for quarantine, claiming that Kenya had been identified for that role. He said the idea placed Kenya in an unfair position.
“The United States government has said their citizens having Ebola should not step into their land… and has said, look for some country somewhere where you can take these people because we don’t want them in our own,” he said.
He argued that Kenya should not accept arrangements that other countries consider too risky for themselves, warning that such a move would expose the country to danger.
“It cannot be that Kenya; we are so good, we are so magnanimous that we are willing to take the risk the United States is not willing to take,” he said.
Gachagua added that he agreed with the High Court decision that issued conservatory orders stopping the establishment of an Ebola centre in Kenya, saying the matter raised serious constitutional and public health concerns.
“I want to say this is wrong, and I want to agree with the High Court of Kenya, who have issued a conservatory order stopping the establishment of an Ebola center within the Republic of Kenya,” he said.
He further claimed that his conversations with his son reflected wider unease among medical professionals, saying the project had left health workers feeling disrespected and concerned about safety.
Laikipia Ebola debate deepens
The remarks come amid growing political debate over Kenya’s preparedness for the Ebola outbreak reported in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The Ministry of Health has defended its response, saying Kenya has expanded isolation units and strengthened surveillance systems in high-risk areas.
The government has also proposed establishing a specialised isolation and treatment facility in Laikipia through cooperation with the United States, with officials saying it will support rapid response, training, and laboratory capacity.
Gachagua, however, urged caution and insisted that Kenya must not proceed without full public participation, particularly from residents in areas where the facility is planned.
“The people of Laikipia were not consulted. The people of Kenya were not consulted,” he said, calling for a public forum in Nanyuki.
“So I think in the course of the week, we will organise a big public meeting in Nanyuki, in Laikipia, to give the residents of that county an opportunity to express themselves as to how they feel and the danger they see.”
He also cited a World Health Organization-linked briefing, as he put it, warning of the severity of the outbreak strain and the absence of a vaccine, arguing that Kenya should prioritise containment within affected regions rather than hosting external quarantine arrangements.
“I have just seen a report from the World Health Organization this morning, it says that this Ebola outbreak that has come in DRC is the type that has no vaccine, and you need six months to develop a vaccine. That report is also saying that in case of spread, 50% of those infected are not likely to make it,” he said.
“We cannot, therefore, endanger our country. And we are saying we have no problem assisting other countries, but we cannot assist them in what they themselves are not ready.”
The debate over the Laikipia facility continues to divide opinion, even as East African countries prepare for a regional emergency ministerial meeting to coordinate Ebola response measures.