President William Ruto has sharply criticized NGOs opposing the new United States health funding framework, telling them to direct their frustrations to Washington instead of attacking the Kenyan government.
Speaking on Wednesday during the 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit at State House, Ruto clarified that the US government, not Kenya, decided to channel health funds directly to the national government rather than through NGOs.
“It is not our decision; it is theirs. So if anybody is annoyed, they should take their anger to another place. They should not bring it to us,” the President stated.
Ruto accused some organizations of spreading misinformation about the new structure, noting that many were beneficiaries of previous US-funded programmes and have now resorted to “sponsor all manner of stories” about the shift.
According to the President, the US opted for the direct Government-to-Government model because some of the NGOs failed to deliver as expected.
“If they have a problem with the current structure, they should talk to the US government, because they decided, for efficiency and efficacy, that these resources should come directly to government,” he said.
Ruto at the same time assured county governments that the new approach would not lock them out, assuring that the funds would still be distributed equitably. “The resources will find their way to our counties,” he affirmed.
He also dismissed public concerns that the arrangement amounts to a loan, insisting that it does not add to Kenya’s debt portfolio.
The President went on to praise Kenya’s growing capacity to manage complex international agreements, commending professionals at the Ministry of Health and the Attorney General’s Office for positioning the country as a reliable partner.
“We did not become the first country to sign a health agreement with the United States by default, we became the first by design. Our professionals at the Ministry of Health and the Attorney General’s Office are as good, if not better, than anywhere in the world,” Ruto said.
He asserted that Kenya does not require foreign consultants to steer such agreements. “We don’t need consultants because we have a human capital that has the capacity to do this. We should believe in ourselves more,” he added.
Ruto further highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between Kenya and the US, saying the partnership has enabled Kenya to take a leading role in negotiating global health agreements.
Under the new deal signed during Ruto’s recent US visit, Kenya will receive Ksh208 billion over the next five years.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the G2G model, saying it prioritizes sustainability, transparency, and national ownership, moving away from fragmented donor-driven programmes.
“We are not going to spend billions of dollars funding the NGO industrial complex while close and important partners like Kenya either have no role to play or have very little influence over how healthcare money is being spent,” Rubio said.
The disbursement schedule includes Ksh10 billion in FY 2026/27, Ksh20 billion in FY 2027/28, Ksh35 billion in FY 2028/29, and Ksh50 billion in FY 2029/30. Kenya will also gradually assume responsibility for US-funded health commodities and human resources by 2031, amounting to USD 141 million.
The new framework aims to strengthen Kenya–US collaboration in eliminating HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and addressing emerging infectious diseases.
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