Former Trade CS Moses Kuria defends Kenya’s health partnerships and calls for Ebola preparedness. /screengrabFormer Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has mounted a spirited defence of Kenya’s preparedness for potential Ebola outbreaks, arguing that the country cannot afford to ignore growing regional health risks amid increasing cross-border movement.
Kuria dismissed criticism directed at the proposed foreign-supported Ebola health facility at the Laikipia Air Base and urged Kenyans to focus on disease prevention and preparedness rather than political narratives.
Pointing to the heavy movement of trucks along regional trade routes, particularly the Busia-Webuye corridor and transport links extending into the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kuria warned that infectious diseases can easily spread across borders through trade and human movement.
“Ma lorry sahii katika hii barabara yenu ya kuenda Uganda, ile barabara ya Busia, Webuye. Ma lorry yote ya kubeba mbao inaenda Congo, he said.
Kuria rejected claims that diseases such as Ebola require deliberate introduction from foreign countries, insisting that outbreaks can spread naturally through existing regional connections.
“Sio lazima Ebola iletwe hapa na Wamarekani, inaweza kujileta yenyewe,” he said.
“Ebola inaingia katika any formula.”
The former Cabinet Secretary said Kenya should not wait for an outbreak before strengthening its health systems, arguing that preparedness is a critical part of public health management.
He drew parallels with the Covid-19 pandemic, dismissing conspiracy theories about the disease's origins and stressing the importance of readiness over blame.
“Corona brought itself here, it was not brought by Americans. My fellow Kenyans, let us not be short-sighted,” he said.
Kuria also defended international collaboration in strengthening Kenya’s capacity to respond to disease outbreaks.
He cited partnerships between Kenyan institutions and American organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying such cooperation helped build the country's testing and response capabilities.
“Wakati wa Corona, watu wetu wa KEMRI na kampuni ya Amerika walikuja hapa na ku-partner to create a facility for dealing with Corona. What is wrong if we are ready for Ebola?” he posed.
His remarks come amid public debate over health preparedness and the role of foreign-supported facilities in responding to potential disease outbreaks.
Speaking in a mix of English and Kiswahili, Kuria criticised what he described as “ujinga” in discussions surrounding global health preparedness, maintaining that strengthening health systems should not be viewed through a political lens.
He argued that Kenya must continue investing in surveillance, preparedness and emergency response mechanisms regardless of political disagreements.
Health experts have consistently warned that while Kenya remains Ebola-free, its location within a region characterised by significant cross-border trade and movement requires constant vigilance.
The country shares major transport and commercial links with neighbouring states and remains connected to trade routes stretching into regions that have previously reported Ebola outbreaks.
According to health experts, robust surveillance systems, early detection mechanisms and rapid response capacity remain critical in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
Kuria's comments underscore the continuing debate over how Kenya should prepare for emerging health threats, with the former Cabinet Secretary insisting that readiness, rather than politics, should guide the country's response.
For him, the message is simple: Kenya should strengthen its health defences before a crisis arrives, not after.
