Kenya’s health minister has announced an order to cease all work on a U.S.-run Ebola quarantine facility, appearing before the high court after being held in contempt for defying an earlier ruling.

The decision follows significant public opposition and deadly protests against the facility, which is intended for U.S. citizens evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a nation currently experiencing a widespread Ebola outbreak.

Minister Aden Duale apologized to the court, stating he had directed "the immediate and complete cessation of any intended construction, site preparation, or related activities concerning the Laikipia airbase facility pending the hearing and determination of the substantive petition or until further orders of this court." The court had previously ordered a halt to construction last month until a case brought by rights groups could be heard.

The implications of this order remain to be seen, particularly concerning the management of potential Ebola cases among U.S. citizens returning from the DRC and the ongoing legal challenge by rights organizations who argue the facility was developed without adequate consultation.

Protests against the facility, located at Laikipia air base in Nanyuki, approximately 200 kilometers from Nairobi, have been intense. Demonstrators have clashed with riot police, resulting in fatalities. The announcement of the center, which was slated to have around 50 isolation beds and be managed by U.S. medical staff, sparked immediate concern among many Kenyans.

The Ebola outbreak in the neighboring DRC has been severe, with over 1,000 confirmed cases and more than 250 deaths as of June 20. Uganda has also reported cases, underscoring regional health concerns.

Rights groups petitioned the court, citing a lack of transparency and public consultation in the facility's development. Their legal challenge led to the initial high court order to stop construction, an order the government seemingly disregarded, leading to the contempt proceedings against Minister Duale.

Judge Patricia Nyaundi Mande discharged Duale with a warning, emphasizing the importance of adhering to court orders. The substantive petition challenging the facility's construction is still pending, and the future of the U.S. Ebola center remains uncertain.