Nairobi. Tear gas hangs over the Kibera slum. Kenyan police have fired canisters into a crowd protesting a new Ebola quarantine centre. The facility is US-backed. That fact matters.
Details are chaotic. Witnesses report hundreds of demonstrators. They threw stones. Police responded with gas and, according to some accounts, live rounds. Casualties are unconfirmed. The interior ministry says 'order has been restored.'
Politics, not just disease, is the issue here. The quarantine centre is part of a broader US health initiative. Kenya's government signed up quietly. Local MPs say they were not consulted. Resentment is boiling over.
One protester yelled at me: 'They bring sickness, not help.' Conspiracy theories are rife. Some believe the centre is a cover for experiments. The US embassy denies this. But trust is thin on the ground.
Sources in the health ministry tell me the centre is critical. Kenya is a transit hub. Ebola from the DRC could spread fast. But the government has failed to explain this. It is a classic communications failure. And it is costing lives.
The opposition is circling. Raila Odinga's allies have called the centre a 'suspicious foreign installation.' They demand its closure. The president's office is silent. This is a man who fears looking weak on sovereignty.
Inside the lobby, there is panic. Backbenchers from ruling party constituencies are asking questions. They want assurances. They are not getting them. This is a revolt waiting to happen.
Polling data shows a dip in trust for the government on health matters. Only 32% approve of the quarantine plans. That number will fall further after today.
The Game is shifting. The US knows it. Kenyan officials know it. They will now scramble to offer 'community engagement' sessions. Too little, too late. The narrative has been set.
Local journalists are being blocked from the scene. Police have set up a cordon. Phone networks are jammed. This is standard procedure. It only fuels anger.
What happens next? The protests will spread. Other slums have already signalled solidarity. The government will overreact. More tear gas. More arrests. And then, a quiet climbdown.
The Ebola centre will be relocated. The US will grumble. Kenya will take a hit in diplomatic circles. But the immediate political crisis will be defused. That is how this game is played.
Watch for a statement from the health minister within 48 hours. It will be vague. It will promise 'dialogue.' It will try to reset. But the damage is done.
For now, the streets of Kibera are empty. The stench of gas lingers. And the quarantine centre stands silent. Awaiting its fate.
