Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has told the High Court that President William Ruto shelved a planned trip to the Republic of Congo in May after receiving an advisory from health experts on the risks posed by the Ebola outbreak in the region.
Appearing before the court on Tuesday, Duale said the President had been scheduled to attend the Brazzaville Conference on May 26, 2026.
However, he advised the Head of State against travelling following consultations with the Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth and other technical experts.
Duale said the advice was issued in line with Article 153(2) of the Constitution, which requires Cabinet Secretaries to provide professional guidance to the President on matters falling within their dockets.
“The President was to attend the Brazzaville Conference, but acting on technical advice from the Director-General and other experts, I advised him not to travel because upon his return he would have been subjected to a mandatory 21-day quarantine,” Duale told the court.
According to the CS, President Ruto accepted the recommendation and instead delivered his address virtually.
Duale further revealed that members of the presidential advance team who had travelled to Congo ahead of the planned visit were subjected to a 21-day quarantine upon their return to Kenya, demonstrating the government’s commitment to enforcing public health protocols without exception.
"It is notable to state that those from State House who advanced to Congo from the Presidential Delegation, upon their return, were quarantined for a period of 21 days," he said.
The Health CS argued that the incident underscores the seriousness with which the government treated the Ebola threat and supports its broader preparedness measures aimed at preventing the spread of the disease into Kenya.
He maintained that all actions taken by the Ministry of Health were based on scientific and technical advice from public health experts.
His remarks came as the court continued hearing arguments over the government's Ebola response strategy and the establishment of quarantine facilities amid concerns over regional outbreaks.
Duale had appeared before the High Court on Tuesday for mitigation ahead of sentencing after being found in contempt of court over the disputed US-funded Ebola quarantine facility in Nanyuki, Laikipia county.
Duale dismissed the fear that the Laikipia facility would serve as a vehicle for Ebola importation into surrounding communities, terming the claims as scientifically unfounded.
He said the facility is located at a military airbase, placing it at significant geographic distance from populated areas with strict access protocols, substantially reducing any theoretical risk of community exposure.
"We have a Kenyan delegation of soldiers who are in Congo who are required to travel for rotation every 12 months; some must travel to see their families during leave as well as upon demise of family members," he told the court.
"In the event one were to arrive at the international airport, such as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, it would result in cancellation of flights, travel bans by various countries, as happened by Israel a week ago, in which they banned people who had been in Kenya."
He said in the event they were to get a health facility, people would stop seeking care in that facility, and others would self-discharge from the hospital in fear of getting infected.
Duale said in light of public health risks, it would be prudent for them to have an isolation facility that receives and treats them.
