Kenyan President William Ruto has strongly criticised the US-based Ford Foundation, alleging that it has been backing “anarchy” and supporting anti-government protests that turned violent last month.
The country has been thrown into a state of political turmoil after Gen-Z Kenyans’ protests against proposed tax increases escalated into a wider movement against Ruto and his government.
Since the protests started a month ago, dozens of lives have been lost, with the most devastating day occurring on June 25. Angry crowds breached parliament, and authorities resorted to firing live bullets at the protesters.
“Those behind sponsoring the chaos in the Republic of Kenya, shame on them because they are sponsoring violence against our democratic nation,” Ruto said at an event in the Rift Valley town of Nakuru on Monday.
“I want to ask the people of Ford Foundation how they will benefit from the money they give to sponsor violence.”
“We are going to tell them if they are not interested in democracy in Kenya, if they are going to sponsor violence in Kenya, if they are going to sponsor anarchy, we are going to call them out, and we are going to tell them that they either style up or they leave.” The president stressed.
The Ford Foundation, which aims to promote social justice and democratic values, has not responded to Ruto’s allegation.