Nairobi — President William Ruto on Monday held high-level talks with the President of the Ford Foundation Darren Walker in New York, two months after the Kenyan government accused the organization of sponsoring youth-led, anti-government protests.
The protests, which began on June 18 with calls for the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024 later morphed into calls for the resignation of President Ruto.
Ruto blamed the protests, which was largely youth-led to interference from foreign forces.
However, following Ruto's meeting the Foundation's, he appeared to change tune praising the organization for pushing for democratic governance and supporting Kenya's initiatives for global economic reforms and climate action.
"Kenya appreciates the Ford Foundation's commitment to safeguarding our democracy and supporting Kenya's calls for reforms in the global economic institutions, climate action and modern technology regulation," Ruto said following the meeting.
President Ruto had on July 15 trained his guns on the Ford Foundation claiming it is the financier of the protests spreading anarchy.
The decades old organization which opened its offices in the country in 1963, against the backdrop of independence in the East African region have for years supported courageous leaders on the frontlines of social change in the country.
During his tour in Nakuru, the President scoffed at the organisation for sponsoring the Generation Z demonstration where protestors gained entry to key government institutions including Parliament.
"Those behind sponsoring the chaos in the republic of Kenya I want to tell them shame on them! Because they are sponsoring violence against our democratic nation. I want to ask the Ford Foundation to tell us they are sponsoring violence for what benefit?" the President stated.
"We are going to call them out and tell them if they are going to sponsor violence and anarchy.We are going to tell them to either style up or leave."
He claimed that the unnamed foreign individuals were responsible for sponsoring chaos witnessed during the Protests to destabilize his government.
However, on July 20, the Ford Foundation insisted on a transparent grant framework following Kenya's demand for disclosures on Sh946 million extended to Kenyan grantees in just a year.
The foundation, in a statement, asserted that its grant-making process is "transparent and readily available."
"As a charitable foundation with a global presence, our grantmaking is transparent and readily available on our website, www.fordfoundation.org," the organization said.
"This includes a database showing where our funds go, as well as highlights from our rich history in East Africa and around the world."
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The response followed a formal inquiry from Kenya to the Ford Foundation listing 16 rights groups that benefited from over Sh900 million funding allegedly linked to chaos during the recent protests.
In the letter, the Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei had demanded answers to the unexplained manner in which the organisations spent allocations.
Sing'Oei had alleged that most of the Grantees have been at the centre of the recent protests and subsequent anarchic mobilizations that have sought to disturb the country's peace.
However, the organization said it does not support violence.
Further, the organization said that while it acknowledges the right of Kenyans to peacefully advocate for a just and equitable country, it does not support any actions or speech that are hateful or advocate violence against any institution, individual, or community.
The philanthropic organization headquartered in the United States expressed its commitment to building on its more than 60 years legacy in the region to enable Kenyans unlock opportunities that are beneficial to everyone.
About The Author
Bruhan Makong reports on security, human rights, and global affairs. He is passionate about uncovering the truth, amplifying the voices often drowned in silence, and holding those in power to account.
