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The Ford Foundation has found itself at the heart of a controversy following allegations by President William Ruto that the American non-governmental organization has been “sponsoring” violence during the anti-government protests.
During a market rally in Nakuru on Monday, President Ruto accused the foundation of hiring goons to cause chaos during the youth-led nationwide protests, which resulted in police shooting unarmed Kenyans, injuring others, abductions, destruction of property, and looting of businesses.
“I challenge the Ford Foundation to tell us the money they have been giving out towards violence, what is the benefit in that?” Ruto questioned. “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 call them out and tell them they either style up or leave.”
Founded in 1936 in Michigan by Ford Motor Company president Edsel Ford and two other executives, the Ford Foundation’s mission was to “receive and administer funds for scientific, educational, and charitable purposes, all for the public welfare.” It has since grown into one of the world’s top philanthropic organizations, with operations in 11 regions across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and North America. With its headquarters in New York City, the Ford Foundation currently ranks as the 11th wealthiest foundation globally with a $13.7 billion (Ksh.1.87 trillion) endowment.
The foundation has been active in Kenya and the broader East Africa region for decades, establishing its Nairobi office in 1963. On its website, the organization states that in East Africa, it supports “open civic space, civil society, and public dialogue with the government” to ensure citizens can contribute to shaping society.
“Through our civic engagement and government work, we invest in the threads that hold democracies together: basic freedoms, both in the digital domain and our daily lives; an autonomous civil society that can both hold the government accountable and bring forth new ideas; and protections for social justice leaders speaking truth to power. We believe that we can end inequality by advancing these democratic values,” the foundation states.
The Ford Foundation also supports efforts to promote principles of open government and civil society organizations calling for greater transparency and accountability to prevent systemic corruption. Known for its grants, the foundation takes pride in having helped establish the University of Nairobi in 1963 and providing significant grants to universities in Eastern Africa to invest in the region’s future. It has also advocated for civic justice to protect social justice activists, artists, and marginalized groups.
In April, the foundation announced a ‘Creativity and Civic Space’ grant initiative with a $1.25 million (Ksh.162.5 million) commitment to address “the importance of protecting and expanding civic space across the globe.” Among the grantees were the Kenyan production company and theatre collective Story Zetu and Too Early For Birds, known for their critically acclaimed stage plays and shows in Kenya. Additionally, in March, the foundation named two Kenyans among its international 26-member 2024 Ford Global Fellowship cohort, awarding them a $25,000 stipend each.
Other local entities supported by the foundation over the years include the Nairobi Arts Trust, United Nations Development Program Kenya, Albinism Society of Kenya, Law Society of Kenya, Beyond Zero, and Amnesty International, among others.
The nationwide protests, initially sparked by the unpopular Finance Bill 2024, evolved into a broader movement against President Ruto’s administration. Accusations of foreign influence in the resistance have been a recurring theme, with Ruto previously warning “foreigners planning things for Kenyans” to respect the country’s democracy.
His government’s spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, suggested that unspecified foreign powers were disguising themselves in the protests, mainly mobilized by Generation Z Kenyans, allegedly due to Ruto’s stance on various reforms on the world stage, including his climate action campaign.
Despite Ruto dropping the contentious draft bill, dissolving his Cabinet, and pledging government austerity for an inclusive leadership, a significant number of Kenyans continue to call for his resignation, with social media flooded with “Ruto must go” posts.
For now, President Ruto demands the Ford Foundation to “explain to Kenyans its role in the recent protests.” In a post on X following Monday’s rally, he wrote: “We will call out all those who are bent on rolling back our hard-won democracy.”
The Ford Foundation however denied the claims by Ruto that it funded the anti-government protests in Kenya. In an official statement, the Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) said it does not sponsor such activities.
“We do not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the Finance Bill and have a strictly non-partisan policy for all of our grantmaking,” said Ms Tolu Onafowokan, the foundation’s director of strategic communications.
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