Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing'oei on Thursday held a meeting with a delegation from Ford Foundation, the organisation Kenya accused the organisation of funding the anti-government protests.
Sing’oei hosted a delegation from the Ford Foundation led by Martin Abregu, the Vice President for International Programmes and Nishka Chandrasoma, Vice President and General Counsel.
The PS said the meeting sought to exchange views on issues raised in his letter to the president of the Ford Foundation on July 18 2024.
“During the constructive, and candid discussions between our delegations, I underscored Kenya's commitment to building a robust civic space that enables citizens' engagement in governance,” he said.
The PS said the meeting noted the imperative for all beneficiaries of Ford Foundation’s grants- whether in government or non-state sector- to responsibly utilise donor funds and to so do in a manner that advances the country's constitutional values and developmental aspirations while safeguarding the security and stability of the State.
In the letter to Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, Sing’oei said some of the organisations funded by the Ford Foundation have been at the centre of anti-government protests.
He said Kenya was concerned that some of the organisations linked to the protest spent millions of shilling in the last month in an unexplainable manner.
"It is noteworthy that several of your grantees below mentioned received a total of US$ 5.78 Million (approximately Kenya Shillings 752 Million) between April 2023 and May 2024 - with unexplained expedited funding amounting to US$ 1.49 M (approximately Kenya shillings 194 million) - over the last month alone," the letter read.
On Thursday, the PS said the meeting noted the importance of adherence by Grant Beneficiaries with the values, operational guidelines and administrative principles under the Ford Foundation's Cooperation Agreement with Kenya.
“Consequently, it is the expectation of the government of Kenya that 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 national interest, must attract sanctions,” he said.
The PS was joined at the meeting by Saitoti Maika, Director General of the Financial Reporting Centre, Lindon Otieno, the acting Executive Director of the Public Benefits Organisations Regulatory Authority, ambassador Phillip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology and ambassador Makena Muchiri, Deputy Director General Privileges and Immunities Directorate.
