President William Ruto’s administration on Friday demanded that Ford Foundation – an organisation he has accused of funding anti-government protests – to account for Sh752 million it wired to at least 16 organisations in the last one year, but failed to mention that an initiative by the first Lady Rachel Ruto has also previously benefited from the funding.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei curiously singled out mostly civil societies that have benefited from the American charity organisation between April 2023 and May 2024. But a look at the foundation’s website shows that Joyful Women Organization (JOYWO), an initiative of Ms Ruto, is among tens of local organisations that have received grants running into hundreds of millions of shillings in the recent past.
In May 2020, the foundation gave Joyful Women Organization $105,000 (Sh13.7 million) to support “automation of operations for institutional strengthening”. In November 2014, the foundation wired another $100,119 (Sh13.1 million).
Joyful Women, which was founded in 2009, is an organisation that promotes women's economic empowerment and financial inclusion, through table banking.
“The organisation was formed out of a passion by the Patron and Founder, H.E Rachel Ruto to see women meet their basic needs and fulfil their potential,” it says on its website.
First Lady Rachel Ruto at Segera Mission School in Laikipia County on March 2.
Photo credit: File | Nation
Currently, the foundation has more than 240,000 active members, more than 16,000 active groups with more than $21 million (Sh2.74 billion) revolving fund.
The Ford Foundation has also funded government organisations, including the Council of Governors and Young Parliamentarians Association.
Other beneficiaries are Mzalendo Trust, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Commission, Law Society of Kenya, Inuka Kenya ni Sisi Limited, Transparency International Kenya among many others.
According to the PS, those funded to allegedly “destabilise the country” include Africa Uncensored Limited (Project Mulika) (US$ 250,000), Women’s Link Worldwide; (US$ 750,000), Centre for Resource Mobilization and Development; (US$ 20,000), Transform Empowerment for Action Initiative: (US$ 220,000), Kenya Human Rights Commission; (US$ 600,000), Open Institute Trust; (US $100,000), Africa Centre for Open Governance: (US$ 200,000) and Transparency International: (US$ 300,000).
Other beneficiaries include The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA); (US$ 200,000), National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (K); (US$ 257,000), Shining Hope for Communities Inc.; (US$2,050,000), Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders Kenya (US$ 250,000), Community Aid International; (US$ 100,000), Mzalendo Trust; (US$ 335,000), Usikimye (Femicide); (US$ 30,000) and Citizens Advancement Initiative; (US$ 150,000).
“Most of the grantees who have been at the centre of the Anti-Finance Bill protests and the subsequent anarchic mobilisations that have sought to upend the peace and security of the state,” said the PS in a letter dated July 18.
On its website, Ford Foundation states that it opened its Nairobi office in 1963, against the backdrop of independence in the region to back courageous leaders who were on the frontlines of social change in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
“We continued to support East Africa’s transition to democracy through the 1980s and 1990s, assisting in its efforts to create a more just environment through reforms of laws, state institutions, and economic policies.Today our support focuses on sustaining vibrant civic space in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and weaving the resilience of civil society, including to protect social justice activists. We work to defend basic freedoms that enable full citizen participation, build public interest technology and media, and encourage accurate narratives grounded in the perspectives of all East Africans,” it states.
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Photo credit: File | Nation
The Ford Foundation has invested millions in Kenya over several years, funding government projects such as the Judiciary’s Social Transformation through Access to Justice.
The group also introduced Kenya to the Open Government Partnership, a UN-backed initiative seeking to catalyse better governance and ending corruption in member States.
The Ford Foundation has also offered millions in grants to young creatives. On Tuesday, the President singled out the Ford Foundation, accusing it of funding the current anti-government protests that have since forced him to make major concessions, including the dissolution of his Cabinet and withdrawal of the controversial Finance Bill, 2024.
“We ask the Ford Foundation to explain to Kenyans its role in the recent protests. We will call out all those who are bent on rolling back out hard-won democracy…,” President Ruto said in a public address after launching a project in Nakuru County.
A look at the organisation’s list of beneficiaries shows that it has supported several civil society groups as well as government organisations.
Some of the latest beneficiaries of the grants by the organization include Mzalendo Trust. In June this year, it received a grant of $335,000 (Sh43.72 million).
According to the foundation, the money was for the ‘general support to promote the realisation of open, inclusive, and accountable Parliaments across Kenya and Africa, and project support for institutional strengthening’.
Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders Kenya received $250,000 (Sh32.6 million). $200,000 (Sh26 million was disbursed in July 2023 with an additional $50,000 (Sh6.5 million).
The grant, the foundation said, was for “core support for community protection of activists and narrative interventions on civic space.”
The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) in May this year received $200,000 (Sh26 million). The grant was for supporting national and regional campaigns for political accountability in public debt management as an avenue to combat systematic corruption and advance freedoms in Kenya and the region.
Transparency International Kenya received $300,000 (Sh39.15 million) in May for “general support for evidence-based research and advocacy for enhanced integrity and accountability in governance and civic space.” Kenya Human Rights Commission in July 2023 received $500,000 (Sh65.26 million).
The commission got an additional $100,000 (Sh13 million) in May this year.Inuka Kenya ni Sisi Limited in September 2021 received $2,300,000 (Sh300 million) for “core support for institutional strengthening to build a resource hub for technology, coalition building, mental, health, wellness and holistic security.”
In August 2018, the Council of Governors also benefited from $350,000 (Sh45.7 million) to “strengthen the capacity of women, and youth-led counties for improved public participation in budgeting processes and oversight of public resources in Kenya.”
In September 2019, the organization wired $250,000 (Sh32 million) to Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association to strengthen young legislators’ leadership capacity to improve their effective championing of ethical, transparent and accountable leadership.
Another $150,000 (Sh19.4 million) was also wired in September 2018 to the MPs. The Ford Foundation released a statement on Monday denying the allegations.
On Tuesday, the Ford Foundation did not respond to our questions on why it feels President Ruto may have singled out the 88-year-old group.
“While we acknowledge the right of Kenyans to peacefully advocate for a just and equitable country, we repudiate any actions or speech that are hateful or advocate violence against any institution, individual, or community. 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,” Ford Foundation director of strategic communications Tolu Onafowokan said in a statement.
“As we noted during the Kenyan state visit to the United States this past May, we are committed to building on the legacy of the Ford Foundation's more than 60 years in the region so that Kenyans can unlock opportunities that extend to all,” Ms Onafowokan added.
President Ruto’s allegations could also spark frost in the relationship Kenya and the Ford Foundation have enjoyed for over 60 years.
Interestingly, when US President Joe Biden hosted Ruto for a State dinner at the White House in Washington D.C., Ford Foundation CEO Alex Soros was among the invited guests. Also invited was Alex Soros, one of the tycoons who fund the Ford Foundation.
Mr Soros has publicly expressed his support for President Biden’s re-election bid in the November 2024 US elections.
