Muturi calls for Duale’s resignation over alleged Ebola screening lapses

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 12 – Democratic Party of Kenya leader Justin Muturi has called on Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to resign if he fails to account for the government’s handling of an alleged Ebola-related incident involving a traveller from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Muturi has demanded an independent investigation into claims that the traveller was cleared at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) following a telephone communication before being taken to a hospital, where he may have interacted with healthcare workers, patients and members of the public.

In a statement issued on Monday, the former Attorney General said the allegations raised serious questions about airport screening procedures, the sharing of travel information with medical personnel and the enforcement of public health protocols.

He said the Ministry of Health, airport authorities and the hospital involved should establish what happened and disclose the findings to the public.

The claims contained in Muturi’s statement had not been independently verified.

“If Hon. Aden Duale cannot provide a credible account of the Ministry’s handling of this matter, demonstrate that the necessary safeguards and response measures were implemented, and restore public confidence through transparent accountability, then he should resign as Cabinet Secretary for Health,” Muturi said.

The former Attorney General challenged Duale to explain whether established screening and reporting procedures were followed, whether healthcare workers were adequately informed and protected, and whether anyone who may have been exposed was identified and assessed.

He also demanded details of the treatment, monitoring and contact-tracing measures undertaken, where necessary, to contain any potential risk.

Muturi argued that the Ministry’s responsibility extended beyond announcing fatalities to explaining the response, the care provided to patients and the measures being taken to prevent further infections.

“The country needs more than announcements about deaths. It needs visible leadership, a credible account of the response, effective treatment and care for patients, and concrete measures to prevent further loss of life,” he said.

He called on the Ministry, airport authorities and the hospital concerned to preserve relevant records and establish a clear timeline of events.

Muturi further urged the relevant public health and oversight authorities to conduct an immediate, independent investigation and make the findings public, while protecting patient confidentiality and sensitive personal information.

He maintained that the allegations should not be used to cause panic but insisted that their seriousness warranted prompt clarification from the institutions involved.

The Democratic Party leader also proposed a 21-day period of enhanced surveillance and precautionary measures, saying the decision should be guided by verified exposure circumstances, the disease’s incubation period and advice from qualified public health authorities.

“No telephone call, political connection, administrative instruction, or position of authority should ever override established public-health safeguards,” he said, adding that anyone found to have interfered with the proper handling of the case should be held accountable.

Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Ebola virus disease on October 6, 2026, after a Kenyan national who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) travelled to the country through Uganda. According to the Ministry of Health, the patient had fallen ill about a month before arriving in Kenya and had received treatment at several hospitals in the DRC.

He travelled by road to Kampala before boarding a Jambojet flight to Nairobi, arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on October 3. He was subsequently taken to Nairobi Hospital, where samples tested by the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute confirmed infection with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. The patient later died.

By October 11, the Ministry had identified 122 contacts, with 108 placed under quarantine and daily monitoring. None had developed symptoms at the time of the update. The government also reported that 293 samples from 289 suspected cases or alerts had been tested, with only the initial imported case returning a positive result. Five hospitals were designated for Ebola case management, while emergency response teams were activated and additional surveillance measures introduced.