On Monday President William Ruto accused Ford Foundation of being among parties funding the anti-government protests in the country.
Ruto while speaking in Nakuru accused the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) headquartered in New York of sponsoring unnamed groups to infiltrate peaceful protests organised by young Kenyans to cause violence.
The Head of State's revelation put the foundation in the spotlight, with the organisation coming under heavy scrutiny from Kenyans who suddenly developed a keen interest in the organisation, what it does, its history and possible interest in African democracies.
As it turns out, the Ford Foundation has a chequered history in Africa having been accused of political interference in several countries such as Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa.
Kenyans.co.ke examines some of these instances and what led to the American Foundation attracting the wrath of African political leaders in the first place.
Kenya
Before President William Ruto publicly flogged the Foundation, the organisation was not known by many Kenyans.
But being on the receiving end of a President's criticism has the capacity to turn you into a national news item.
"I want to ask the people from Ford Foundation to explain to us what they seek to gain by destabilising Kenya's democracy," President Ruto who was on a development tour in Nakuru stated.
The president's remarks put the Ford Foundation's support for governance and democracy initiatives under the microscope.
Commenting on the situation afterwards, political commentators and politicians argued that the foundation's focus on promoting certain democratic practices and policies can be seen as interference in the country's internal affairs.
However, the Foundation would later release a statement, denying allegations of interfering in Kenya's democracy.
"While we acknowledge the right of Kenyans to peacefully advocate for a just and equitable country, we repudiate any actions or speech that are hateful or advocate violence against any institution, individual or community."
Uganda
In Uganda, the Ford Foundation's support for LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive health initiatives has been controversial.
Ford Foundation partnered with other organisations aligned with its views to create the first LGBTQ Racial Justice Fund in 2014.
Given the country's conservative stance on these issues, some politicians and community leaders have accused the foundation of promoting values that they see as contrary to their cultural and religious beliefs.
President Yoweri Museveni in August 2019 accused the Ford Foundation of political interference and supporting LGBTQ rights. In a speech, he said:
"The Ford Foundation is meddling in our affairs, funding activities that are against our culture and values. They support those who promote homosexuality and other un-African behaviours in our country."
Nigeria
In Nigeria, there have been criticisms of the Ford Foundation's alleged interference in the country's democracy.
For instance, former Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed in April 2021 accused the Ford Foundation along with other foreign entities, of funding activities aimed at undermining the Nigerian government.
“These foundations – Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and the likes – are actively funding separatist movements in Nigeria, attempting to destabilize the country by fueling division and supporting groups that aim to disintegrate Nigeria,” the Nigerian Tribune quoted Mohammed at the time.
That is not all, the Foundation was also accused of clandestine involvement in the Niger Delta region.
Some local activists and community leaders have argued that the foundation's programs have not adequately addressed the root causes of conflict and underdevelopment in the region and that its approach sometimes aligns more with the interests of multinational oil companies than with those of the local communities.
South Africa
In South Africa, the Foundation has also been the subject of backlash as well.
In 2017, the then-South African President Jacob Zuma accused the Ford Foundation of meddling in the country's political affairs. Zuma claimed that the Ford Foundation was funnelling funds to organizations that sought to undermine the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
During a press conference in Pretoria on May 5, 2017, Zuma said, "The Ford Foundation is not just a charity organization. It has become clear that they have a political agenda, one that is not aligned with the interests of South Africa. They are providing financial support to opposition groups and NGOs that are working tirelessly to destabilize our government."
Minister of State Security David Mahlobo echoed these sentiments in a parliamentary debate on June 12, 2017. He argued that the Ford Foundation's activities posed a significant threat to national security. "We have evidence that the Ford Foundation is funding entities that are involved in subversive activities."
"These organizations are disguising their true intentions under the guise of human rights and democracy promotion. However, their ultimate goal is to create instability and chaos in South Africa," Mahlobo stated.
