In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- The Ford Foundation denied accusations by Kenyan President William Ruto of sponsoring violent anti-government protests, asserting its commitment to non-partisan grantmaking and peaceful advocacy.
- Kenya has faced political unrest with deadly protests against tax hikes, escalating into a broader campaign against Ruto’s administration, leading to dozens of deaths over the past month.
On Tuesday, the US-based Ford Foundation firmly rejected accusations from Kenyan President William Ruto that it was sponsoring “anarchy” and funding deadly anti-government protests.
Kenya has been thrown into political turmoil due to demonstrations that began as peaceful rallies led by Gen-Z Kenyans against proposed tax hikes but have since escalated into a broader campaign against President Ruto and his administration.
The protests, which started a month ago, have resulted in dozens of fatalities, with the deadliest incident occurring on June 25.
On that day, angry crowds stormed parliament, and police responded with live bullets, leading to multiple deaths.
President Ruto, addressing a large crowd on Monday, criticized the Ford Foundation, questioning the motives behind their financial contributions.
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“That money they are giving out to sponsor violence, how are they going to benefit?” he asked. “If they are going to sponsor violence in Kenya, if they are going to sponsor anarchy, we are going to call them out and we are going to tell them that they either style up or they leave.”
In response, the Ford Foundation issued a statement on Tuesday, denying any involvement in funding the protests against the finance bill. The organization, which has been distributing grants to civil and rights groups in Kenya for decades, emphasized its “strictly non-partisan policy for all of our grantmaking.”
The Ford Foundation reaffirmed its support for Kenyans’ rights to peaceful advocacy but strongly repudiated any actions or speech that promote violence or hatred against any institution, individual, or community.
Established in 1936 by Edsel Ford, son of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford, the foundation operates globally with the mission of advancing social justice and promoting democratic values.
President Ruto, facing the most significant crisis of his nearly two-year presidency, has previously accused unidentified foreign elements of inciting unrest during the demonstrations.
While street protests have recently subsided, activists have called for renewed action on Tuesday.