By Hilda Ajema
This image, attached to a Facebook post, purportedly shows Kenyan Dancers welcoming Ebola patients in Kenya.
The caption reads “Scenes pale JKIA as Kenyan dancers receive Ebola patients to Kenya.”
Background
The image began circulating online amid public debate over reports that the United States was setting up a quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans amid the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During an interview with Citizen TV, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale stated that the proposed facility was part of broader efforts to strengthen Kenya’s emergency preparedness and disease response systems. Government officials maintained that the facility would enhance national health security and that Kenya had already strengthened surveillance, isolation, and treatment capacity in several counties.
However, the proposal faced legal challenges. The High Court temporarily suspended plans to establish or operationalise any Ebola quarantine, isolation, or treatment facility linked to the arrangement. The court further barred the government from admitting, receiving, or facilitating the entry of persons exposed to or infected with Ebola under the contested agreement until the matter is fully heard and determined.
On June 2, 2026, the High Court, presided over by Justice Patricia Nyaundi, extended the suspension and ordered the government to disclose all agreements, biosafety assessments, operational protocols, and regulatory approvals related to the proposed facility. The court scheduled a further hearing for June 23, 2026.
The post suggests that American citizens have already arrived in Kenya, which is not the case.
Verification
The image shows multiple Alamy watermarks, indicating it was obtained from a stock photo database rather than being a recent photograph taken during the alleged arrival of Ebola patients.
A Google reverse image search proves this image was first shared on July 24, 2015. The original caption identifies the group dancing as traditional dancers from the Boma Group at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before the arrival of then US President Barack Obama.
Additional posts making similar claims and featuring AI-generated content were also shared on TikTok here.
Verdict
The Facebook post claiming to show Kenyan dancers receiving Ebola patients at JKIA is FALSE.
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