President William Ruto has made a bold accusation against the Ford Foundation, an American private philanthropic organization, claiming that the foundation has been sponsoring violence and unrest during the recent anti-government protests in Kenya.
Speaking in Nakuru ,President Ruto alleged that the Ford Foundation has been hiring “goons” to cause mayhem and destruction of property during the peaceful demonstrations.
“Nataka niulize watu wa Ford Foundation watuambie hio pesa wanatoa, wanatoa ifanye fujo ndio wapate faida gani?” he posed.
The President further warned the Ford Foundation, stating, “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 we are going to tell them they either style up or they leave.”
Ruto reiterated his claims on his X (Twitter) account, calling on the Ford Foundation to “explain to Kenyans its role in the recent protests” and stating that the government will “call out all those who are bent on rolling back our hard-won democracy.”
The President has previously attributed the destruction of critical state infrastructure, including the Parliament building, to “hired young goons” whom he has labeled as “criminals.”
The Ford Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1963, has been actively involved in advocating for civic justice and supporting social justice activists in East Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The organization has disbursed over KSh 138 billion ($10.7 million) in the region since 2009.
The President’s accusations against the Ford Foundation have raised concerns about the government’s approach to handling dissent and the potential implications for the country’s democratic process.
