A protest in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa has turned violent, with at least three people killed, as demonstrators clashed with police over the construction of a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility. The centre, funded by the American government, is being built near a densely populated slum, sparking fears of stigmatisation and economic ruin. British aid workers, stationed in the region for humanitarian missions, have been advised to remain indoors as the situation escalates.
Witnesses said gunfire erupted after police tried to disperse a crowd of several hundred protesters who had blocked roads and thrown stones. The protesters argued that the quarantine centre would bring the virus to their community, not protect them. 'They are bringing death to our doorstep,' said one local teacher. 'We cannot feed our children now. If this centre opens, no one will buy our fish or our fruit.'
The United States has donated millions of dollars to combat Ebola in East Africa, but local mistrust is high. Kenya has not recorded a single case of Ebola in the current outbreak, yet the facility is being built as a precaution. Residents claim they were not consulted and fear the centre will become a permanent fixture, destroying their livelihoods.
The British Foreign Office confirmed it is monitoring the situation. 'We advise all British nationals in Mombasa to avoid the area of the protests and follow the advice of local authorities,' a spokesperson said. Several aid organisations, including Oxfam and Save the Children, have staff in the region. One worker, who asked not to be named, said: 'We are locked down. The mood is very tense. Our Kenyan colleagues are scared.'
The protests began peacefully on Monday but turned deadly when police fired live rounds. The Mombasa county commissioner said officers acted to protect property after protesters torched a car. 'We regret the loss of life, but we must maintain order,' he told reporters.
This is not the first time US health initiatives have faced backlash in Africa. During the 2014 Ebola epidemic, similar facilities were attacked in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Critics say Washington focuses on containment rather than strengthening local health systems, a charge the US Embassy in Nairobi denies. 'This centre is a partnership, not an imposition,' a US diplomat said.
For the residents of this coastal slum, the immediate concern is survival. The outbreak in neighbouring Uganda has not reached Kenya, but the economic damage from the protest is already felt. Market stalls are empty. Children are out of school. And the British aid workers, here to help, are now trapped in the crossfire.
As night falls, the streets are quiet but the city holds its breath. Aid agencies are urgently calling for dialogue. But with blood already spilled, trust is in short supply.
