- On Monday, during a rally in Nakuru, President William Ruto, called out Ford Foundation, an American NGO , accusing it of funding anti-government protests.
The head of state warned the foundation, questioning what they were benefitting by paying youths to cause mayhem during peaceful protests.
He added that the foundation will be kicked out of the country if it continues interfering with the country’s internal affairs, warning all criminals will be brought to book.
“I want to ask the people of Ford Foundation to tell us why they give money to cause chaos in the country. We do not have a spare country. What benefits do you gain by sponsoring violence?” Ruto remarked.
Ford Foundation has however issued a response to Ruto’s remarks.
According to a statement that was shared by CNN journalist Larry Madowo, the foundation distanced itself from the president’s accusations, noting that it has been keen on ensuring independence of East Africa’s democratic institutions since 1963, when it was founded.
“This includes our support for civil servants and technical experts who helped establish an independent Kenya, supporting the growth of the educational sector, and the work of the Kenyan government and of its diverse society, ” the foundation stated, further expressing its commitment in supporting work in support of the country’s development and leadership on an African and global stage.
The Foundation added that it doesn’t condone actions or speech that are hateful or advocate for violence against any institution, individual or community, although it acknowledges the right for Kenyans to peacefully advocate for a just and equitable country.
“We did not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the finance bill and have a strictly non-partisan policy for all our grantmaking,” Ford Foundation noted.
