Silverio Omari
The Kenyan government has identified 16 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in relation to the recent protests that have caused significant disruption across the country over the past month.
In a letter to Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei expressed concerns that several NGOs funded by the Ford Foundation were central to the anti-government demonstrations. Sing’oei highlighted that these organizations had expended millions of shillings recently in ways that are not fully accounted for. “It is notable that several of your grantees received a total of US$ 5.78 million (approximately KSh 752 million) between April 2023 and May 2024, with expedited funding of US$ 1.49 million (approximately KSh 194 million) in the last month alone,” Sing’oei noted.
The PS emphasized that many of these grantees were involved in the anti-Finance Bill protests and other chaotic actions that have threatened the country’s peace and security.
Kenya is requesting the Ford Foundation to address four key issues regarding their grantees:
- Provide detailed information on the grantees from the past year, including approved programs (especially in the last three months), project budgets, amounts disbursed, and future disbursements.
- Submit reports from the grantees outlining their activities, associated costs, and beneficiaries.
- Share a report on the Ford Foundation’s adherence to its Non-Lobbying Policy, or clarify if this policy does not apply to its operations in Kenya.
- Outline any sanctions that the Ford Foundation will impose for legal or policy violations by its grantees.
The Kenyan government seeks clarity on these issues to ensure transparency and accountability.
Dj Vnyash
