Kenya warns Ford Foundation of sanctions if local laws breached

NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenya issued a stern warning Thursday to the US-based Ford Foundation over the utilization of donor funds and adherence to the East African nation’s domestic laws.

The warning came during a high-level meeting between officials from Kenya’s Foreign Ministry and a delegation from the foundation prompted by concerns raised in a letter from Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei to the foundation's president on July 18.

At the meeting, Sing'Oei told the delegation that the government “expects the Ford Foundation shall rigorously and across project cycles monitor operations of all grant beneficiaries for compliance and ensure that any material departure from the terms of the cooperation agreement or Kenyan law, particularly those that advance objectives incompatible with the national interest, must attract sanctions.”

The meeting, described by Sing'Oei as “constructive and candid,” focused on the responsible utilization of donor funds following concerns over the foundation's funding practices after deadly anti-government protests swept the nation.

The delegation from the Ford Foundation was led by Martin Abregu, the vice president for International Programs, and Nishka Chandrasoma, vice president and general counsel, who represented the organization’s president, Darren Walker.

President William Ruto's administration has been under intense scrutiny following over a month of violent protests that resulted in at least 50 deaths and widespread property damage.
The idea of foreign organizations funding the protests came from Ruto, who singled out the Ford Foundation among others, alleging that the funds they were sending to Kenya were used to fuel the protests.

In Swahili, he said: "I want to ask the people at the Ford Foundation: What benefit do they gain from funding chaos?"

“We are going to call them out, and we are going to tell them if they are not interested in democracy in Kenya, if they are going to sponsor violence and anarchy, they either style up or leave,” he added.