Embassy rejects plea on funding NGO

The UK has turned down a request by Kenya that it stops funding Haki Afrika, a Mombasa-based NGO that the government has linked to terrorism.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry had on May 12, written protest letters to the US, UK and Norwegian governments asking them to stop funding the organisation whose bank accounts were frozen in the wake of the attack on the Garissa University College last month.

The letters, signed by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, said Haki Afrika’s activities posed a serious threat to national security and jeopardised Kenya’s efforts at combating terrorism.

The letter to the UK High Commission in Nairobi said: “It is noted that the High Commission has been and continues to fund the said

entity. Specifically in the financial year 2013-2014, the High Commission funded Haki Africa to the tune of Sh11,099,341. The Ministry therefore wishes to draw the High Commission’s attention to the foregoing and to advise that its association with Haki Africa should cease forthwith.”

The letter further said that Haki Africa had been operating illegally.

Contacted for a comment, the UK government said it had asked Nairobi to furnish it with evidence on Haki Afrika’s alleged links to terrorist activities before it can stop funding the human rights NGO.

“We recognise the need to ensure that organisations are not being used for illicit purposes, such as terrorist or extremist financing. We are also clear that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have a key role to play in countering the ideology of violent extremism. We must work together on this agenda,” said Mr Stephen Burns, the head of communication at the UK mission in Nairobi. “We must move from the battle ground to the common ground; we need collaboration not confrontation.”

Haki Afrika’s Executive Director Hussein Khalid expressed shock at the government’s move to cut off its funding.

“We are surprised by the contents of that letter. We have been working closely with the government and therefore this is a shock to us,” he said.

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar also defended Haki Afrika and accused the government of trying to intimidate organisations that are demanding accountability in the fight against terrorism.

“These countries supporting Haki Afrika have their own intelligence, much superior to Kenya’s and by the time they decide to support Haki Afrika or any other organisation for that matter, they must have satisfied themselves that the benefiting organisations are worthy of their support.”

He asked the three countries to ignore the government’s request.

According to the NGO Co-ordination Board Executive Director, Mr Fazul Mohammed Yusuf, the NGO has been operating illegally.

“Haki Afrika is not registered under the NGO Act. It is a criminal offence for an entity to operate in the country without registration. Another offence by Haki Afrika is that they opened and are running bank accounts without the approval of the NGO co-ordination board,” he said.

According to Mr Kibicho’s letters, the US has so far given more than Sh3 million to Haki Africa.

“Due to the seriousness of the matter, the Ministry would be grateful to receive an acknowledgement of this communication and to be advised on the Embassy’s action on the same,” the letter addressed to the US embassy said in part.