Change of heart? Ruto now thanks Ford Foundation for supporting Kenya’s democracy
President William Ruto on Tuesday (September 24) met Ford Foundation president Darren Walker in what appears to be a move to mend fences after a frosty relationship.
Dr Ruto, who is in the US for the 79th UN General Assembly, met and “held talks with the President of the Ford Foundation Darren Walker in New York,” months after accusing the American charity of funding the youth uprising in Kenya.
“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,” President Ruto posted on his X handle.
Following a surprising wave of relentless protests by young Kenyans over a myriad of governance issues in the country, President Ruto has put the financiers of the protests on notice.
The Head of State warned foreign entities against allegedly undermining Kenya’s stability and democracy.
He warned against any attempt at revolution and anarchy, saying his government would not tolerate such actions in the country.
While condemning those who he said were influencing the youth to cause violence and mayhem, he said those behind the planned anarchy would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Kenya is a democratic country governed by the rule of law and run by democratically elected leaders. We cannot run our country through anarchy or revolution. We will ensure that whoever is sponsoring the protests is met with the full force of the law,” said President Ruto while in Keringet, Kuresoi South, Nakuru County.
“Our youth are not available for retrogressive assignments. Those sponsoring them to cause violence and mayhem must be ashamed of themselves. We ask the Ford Foundation to explain to Kenyans its role in the recent protests. If they (Ford Foundation) are not interested in democracy in Kenya, they should either style up or ship out. We will call out all those who are bent on rolling back our hard-won democracy,” Dr Ruto added.
Further to President Ruto’s roadside proclamations, the Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei demanded an accountability report from Ford Foundation on Sh752 million allegedly given to 16 organisations in Kenya between April 2023 and May 2024.
The PS said in a letter to the president of the New York-based Ford Foundation, Darren Walker, that there were some unexplained fast-track grants amounting to $1.49 million (Sh194 million) in June 2024.
Ford Foundation denied the claims by President Ruto, explaining in an official statement, that it does not sponsor the alleged 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, in response to Nation.Africa then.
dogetta@ke.nationmedia.com
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