Kenya demands details on $5.7m grant to alleged protest backers

Kenya has asked Ford Foundation, a US-based non-profit, to provide information on a $5.78 million grant to 16 organisations which the government accused of funding the ongoing protests in what will be interpreted as a desperate move to shift blame.

On Thursday, the foreign affairs ministry asked the foundation to provide details of all grantees and their activities. On July 15, President William Ruto accused the US organisation of being behind the protests.  

“It is noteworthy that several of your grantees below mentioned received a total of $5.78 million between April 2023 and May 2024 – with unexplained expedited funding amounting to $1.49 million over the last month alone,” Korir Sing’oei, foreign affairs permanent secretary wrote in a letter.

“Deeply concerning is that most of the grantees have been at the centre of the anti-Finance Bill protests and the subsequent anarchic mobilisation that have sought to upend the peace and security of the state.”

The demand comes after the organisation denied involvement in the anti-government protests. Some of its notable grantees include Africa Uncensored, an independent media outlet, Transparency International, Kenya Human Rights Commission and Africa Centre for Open Governance.  

“We did not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the Finance Bill and have a strictly non-partisan policy for all of our grantmaking,” Tolu Onafowokan, Ford Foundation director of communications, said on Tuesday.

Ford Foundation joins the list of individuals and organisations Kenyan officials have blamed for the protests. In June, lawmakers loyal to Ruto blamed former President Uhuru Kenyata and the opposition. The government spokesman Isaac Mwaura later said Russia was behind the demonstrations.  

Ruto has made some concessions but protesters maintain that their grievances are legitimate and the month-long demonstrations will continue.

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