Ford Foundation ‘letter of apology’ to Kenya is fake - PS Sing'oei
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
During the Gen Z protests in June, President Ruto had accused the organisation of sponsoring the unrest.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Korir Sing'oei has dismissed a circulating letter allegedly from the Ford Foundation, describing it as fake.
The letter, which claimed the organisation apologised to Kenya, has been widely shared on social media.
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In a statement on Friday, Sing'oei urged Kenyans to disregard the document, categorising it as misinformation.
"I have not received this letter purportedly addressed to me. On the face of it, it bears the imprints of fake news," Sing'oei posted on X, distancing himself from the letter.
The fake letter, dated September 26, 2024, claimed to be addressed to Sing'oei and carried the subject line: 'Apology and assurance following misuse of grant funds in Kenya'.
The letter falsely suggested that the Ford Foundation took responsibility for funding the Gen Z protests that recently took place in Kenya.
The letter also claimed that the protests occurred in June 2025, a clear error, further discrediting its authenticity.
In the document, the foundation allegedly issued an apology and promised to provide a detailed report on the matter, along with plans to implement strict oversight reforms.
However, Sing'oei's response clarified that no such communication had been received from the Ford Foundation, reinforcing that the letter was part of a fake news campaign.
This comes just days after a meeting between President William Ruto and Ford Foundation President Darren Walker.
On September 24, 2024, Sing'oei shared details of their discussion, which took place on the sidelines of the ongoing 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
During their meeting, Ruto and Walker focused on matters concerning democratic governance and human rights.
According to PS Sing'oei, both leaders recognised the importance of protecting democracy in Africa, particularly in the face of growing threats from disinformation and the misuse of digital platforms.
"Both leaders acknowledged the critical need to protect democracy in Africa against the threats of disinformation and the misuse of digital platforms for anti-democratic purposes," the PS said in his statement.
The Ford Foundation had come under public scrutiny during the Gen Z protests in June, with President Ruto accusing the organisation of sponsoring the unrest.
"Those behind sponsoring the chaos in the Republic of Kenya, I want to tell them shame on them! Because they are sponsoring violence against our democratic nation. I want to ask the Ford Foundation to tell us why they are sponsoring violence; for what benefit?" Ruto said during a public address in Nakuru.
The President had even threatened to ban the foundation from operating in Kenya unless it ceased its alleged involvement in destabilising activities.
"We are going to tell them to either style up or leave," Ruto warned.
Despite the controversy, PS Sing'oei indicated that the meeting between Ruto and Walker showed Kenya's continued commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law, as well as its determination to combat misinformation that threatens these values.
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