Ruto Accuses Ford Foundation of Funding Chaos

Kenya’s President William Ruto accuses Ford Foundation of funding unrest in the country, escalating tensions with the United States.

During a speech in western Kenya, President Ruto accuses the US-based Ford Foundation of financing groups behind recent violence in various regions of Kenya. He vows to identify other NGOs suspected of supporting the protests that have disrupted the country in recent weeks.

Ruto’s claims, made without specific evidence, signal a potential shift in Kenya’s relationship with a key Western ally. The Ford Foundation denies the allegations, emphasizing its non-partisan grantmaking policy and commitment to social justice initiatives globally.

This development follows Ruto’s recent State visit to Washington, where he secured significant trade agreements.

At least 24 people were killed in clashes between protesters and police last week, when parliament was briefly stormed and set on fire.

Kenya protesters

The protests, which were led by young people and primarily organized through social media, were initially sparked by a finance bill aimed at raising 346 billion Kenyan shillings ($2.69 billion) in taxes.

However, over the past two weeks, the demands of many protesters have expanded to include calls to end corruption and for Ruto to resign, representing the most serious crisis in his two-year presidency.