Kenya’s president William Ruto has sparked controversy after claiming that the US-based Ford Foundation sponsored anti-government protests that have killed more than 500 people, with 59 people abducted and 628 people arrested arbitrarily.

His accusations have been labelled as ‘baseless’ and without merit, as international philanthropy bares the brunt of political scapegoating. 

Analysts and experts say the president used the Ford Foundation and an attack on international philanthropy as cover against the administration’s own pitfalls at failing to give young people opportunities.  

Speaking to a political gathering to the west of Nairobi in June, Ruto roused his supporters. 

‘If the Ford Foundation is not interested in democracy in Kenya, they should either style up or ship out,’ he said.  

The Ford Foundation has rejected Ruto’s allegations.

‘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,’ the foundation said in a statement. 

Jervin Naidoo, a political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, a consultancy based in South Africa, told Al Jazeera that Ruto’s accusations are a cover ‘to divert attention from his administration’s shortcomings’, particularly with government corruption and reportedly lavish spending by high ranking officials, including by the president himself. 

‘Historically, during the Cold War, the Ford Foundation was accused of covertly supporting US security and foreign policy goals, but there is no evidence supporting collusion between the US government and the Ford Foundation in the present context,’ says Naidoo.  

‘Ruto’s claim that the Ford Foundation is funding antigovernment protests is a baseless attempt to discredit and dilute deep-seated public anger in Kenya by attributing motivation to external forces,’ Fergus Kell, a research analyst at UK-based think tank Chatham House.  

Despite the claims against the Ford Foundation, Ruto’s wife, Rachel, has been a key beneficiary in funding from the US philanthropy. 

According to The Kenya Times, the first lady’s own philanthropy initiative, Joyful Women Organisation, has received two Ford Foundation grants since 2006.  

The Ford Foundation’s grant making is available on its website to view. 

Kenyan authorities say they are investigating 16 civil society groups over their alleged funding from the Ford Foundation.  

In a joint statement, 38 civil society organisations, led by the Open Institute, described the protest funding allegations as ‘baseless’ and that demonstrations took to the streets motivated by his government’s inaction on the quality of life for Kenyans.  

‘We categorically repudiate these unfounded accusations. The government should remain true to the constitution,’ they stated, adding that they should be allowed to operate without interference and protect independent civil society organisations. 

African media report that protestors involved human rights defenders. Sarah Meritei, one such protestor, says Ruto’s decision to target philanthropy and civil society groups is motivated by his failure to tackle the issues facing young Kenyans.

‘I have participated in all the protests. No one paid me to march on the streets,’ the 26-year-old told The Africa Report, responding to the president’s claim of the Ford Foundation paying people to go protest on the streets.

The Kenyan president’s attacks on the Ford Foundation may also be motivated by his political adversaries, which includes Willy Mutunga, the former chief justice who previously worked for and still has an advisory role at the Ford Foundation, Fadhel Kaboub, a senior adviser with Power Shift Africa, a climate-focused think tank, told Al Jazeera.

The Ford Foundation has worked extensively in Kenya, focusing on economic development and women’s rights in the country.

Irina Tsukerman, a geopolitical analyst at the media advisory firm Scarab Rising, added that tensions among some of Kenya’s population have risen with the Ford Foundation being linked to US foreign policy and an outside influence that some view with suspicion.

It’s not the first time a major leader has accused the Ford Foundation without basis.

India’s Narendra Modi placed the Ford Foundation on a national security list in 2015, viewed by commentators as a crackdown on foreign influences and human rights defenders.

Shafi Musaddique is the news editor at Alliance Magazine.