Ruto meets Ford Foundation president, months after 'protests sponsoring' claims

President William Ruto with Ford Foundation's President, Darren Walker in New York. [Ruto, X]

Months after linking the Gen Z protests to the Ford Foundation, President William Ruto has met with the Foundation's President, Darren Walker, in New York.

Ruto shared images of the meeting on X, lauding the Ford Foundation for supporting democracy in Kenya.  

"Kenya appreciates the Ford Foundation’s commitment to safeguarding our democracy and supporting our calls for reforms in global economic institutions, climate action, and modern technology regulation," said Ruto.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi were also present at the meeting.

In July, at the height of the Gen Z-led protests in Kenya, the government accused the Ford Foundation of sponsoring the violence, though they provided no evidence.

The government even threatened to expel the American organisation from the country.  

"I want to call out those behind the chaos in Kenya. Shame on them for funding violence against our democratic nation. I ask the Ford Foundation—how does funding violence benefit them?" Ruto said at the time.

Days later, the Foundation denied the accusations, listing at least  401 Kenyan grantees who had received funding between 2006 and 2024, none of whom had criminal records.

Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing'oei also met with a Foundation delegation led by Martin Abregu, Vice President for International Programs, to discuss concerns raised in a July 18, 2024 letter to the Foundation's president.  

“During our candid discussions, I emphasised Kenya's commitment to fostering a robust civic space that encourages citizen engagement in governance,” Sing'oei said.

In the letter, the PS noted that some organisations funded by the Ford Foundation were involved in anti-government protests.  

"It is noteworthy that several of your grantees received a total of Sh752 million between April 2023 and May 2024, with an unexplained expedited funding of Sh194 million over the past month," the letter stated.

After the Kenyan government's accusations, Ruto’s meeting with the Ford Foundation now raises eyebrows.