Ruto accuses American NGO Ford Foundation of funding Kenyan protests

President William Ruto has accused the Ford Foundation, an American non-governmental organisation (NGO), of funding and backing protests against his administration.

Since the protests began, the president has hinted at unmanned foreigners supporting the revolts against the government. Today, for the first time, he explicitly criticised the Ford Foundation and accused local protest organisers of being direct beneficiaries.

The head of state was speaking at Keringet Market in Nakuru County.

"Those who are sponsoring the violence, we know them, and I want to call out those who are behind the anarchy in Kenya. Shame on them!" Ruto stated further, claiming that the parties in question had been channelling money to non-named groupings nationwide to stage protests and destabilise the country.

The visibly angry Head of State also claimed that the organisation harbours ulterior motives and is operating against Kenya's best interests and democracy.

"I want to ask the people from the Ford Foundation to explain to us what they seek to gain by destabilising Kenya's democracy," he wondered.

Earlier on, while speaking in Nakuru Town, Ruto pleaded with youths to stop their countrywide protests against the government and rather embrace dialogue.

According to the president, youths should not let themselves be manipulated into making the country ungovernable.

"I want to plead with our youths not to allow themselves to be used and make the country a place where people fight, cause chaos, and bring destruction to properties," Ruto urged.

President William Ruto lays the foundation stone for the construction of Keringet fresh produce market in Kuresoi South Constituency, Nakuru County on Monday, July 15, 2024. (Photo: PCS)

The Head of State asked the crowd to raise their hands for those who would commit to peace and emphasised that only through maintaining peace can all Kenyans find a conducive environment for nation-building.

"Let everybody say that we want peace. Because that is our stand as Kenya," said Ruto.

Ruto's plea for peace comes even as protesters plan to stage countrywide demonstrations on Tuesday, July 16, against his administration.

It is the second time the president has left Nairobi since the protests against his administration began, having locked himself inside State House with military blockades at the onset of the demos.

On Sunday during the service at Ndogino in Nyandarua County, Ruto urged the church to pray for the nation's leadership, even as he prepares to appoint a new cabinet. "

For the government ahead, pray for me so that I can get workers who will help me achieve the agreement we made with you," he rallied the deacons and the nation.

The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation that aims to advance human welfare. It was created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father, Henry Ford.

Surprisingly, the Ford Foundation, which Ruto accuses of fanning chaos in Kenya, supports the operations of some Kenyan state agencies like the National Gender and Equality Commission.

The agency's website reads "the Ford Foundation works with visionary leaders and organisations worldwide to change social structures and institutions so that all people have the opportunity to reach their full potential, contribute to society, have a voice in the decisions that affect them, and live and work in dignity' Eastern Africa Ford Foundation brochure."

Protestors react after police officers use teargas to disperse them during a demonstration against Kenya's proposed finance bill 2024/2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 25, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS)