The American non-governmental organization, Ford Foundation, has issued a response following accusations from Kenya’s President, William Ruto, that it funded recent violent anti-government protests.
Ford Foundation’s Stance
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Ford Foundation stressed its commitment to non-partisanship in its global operations.
Addressing the recent protests against the Finance Bill, which was rejected by millions of youthful protesters and led to President Ruto withdrawing the bill, the Foundation stated:
“We do not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the finance bill and maintain a strictly non-partisan policy for all our grantmaking.”
Government’s Perspective on the Finance Bill
The Kenyan government had anticipated generating more than Ksh.346 billion from the controversial Finance Bill, which many Kenyans criticized as punitive.
Also Read: President Ruto Accuses Ford Foundation of Sponsoring Protests in Kenya
Following the bill’s withdrawal, President Ruto announced that the government would need to borrow over Ksh.1 trillion to cover current expenditures and debt repayment.
He also outlined austerity measures, including the elimination of about 47 government parastatals, and dissolved his cabinet to meet the demands of Kenyan Gen Z for a cleaner and more efficient government.
Ruto’s Accusations Against Ford Foundation
On Monday, President Ruto accused the Ford Foundation, along with other local and foreign organizations, of fueling the anti-government protests.
He warned the youth against being manipulated by entities aiming to destabilize the nation and questioned the motives of these organizations.
“Those who are behind the sponsoring of chaos in Kenya, shame on them because they are sponsoring violence against our democratic nation. I want to ask the people at the Ford Foundation, what do they gain from giving out money to cause violence?” Ruto questioned.
The President further cautioned the Ford Foundation against allegedly sponsoring unrest in Kenya, hinting at the possibility of asking the organization to leave the country if it continues to support the protests.
*”We are going to call them out and we are going to tell them if they are not interested in democracy in Kenya. If they are going to sponsor violence and anarchy, we are going to tell them they either style up or they leave,”* President Ruto added.
These accusations come amid reports that the police are investigating six politicians, two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and a businessman suspected of financing the protests.
