Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has urged the Trump government to reconsider a decision to limit funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
While meeting Marc D. Dillard, the Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, Raila highlighted the significance of the aid and urged the United States to reconsider its decision to fully withdraw the funding, which has been vital for life-saving efforts.
"I expressed my deep worries about the crippling of USAID and appealed to the US government to rethink decisions that will affect access to humanitarian services, particularly access to life-saving medication," Raila revealed in a post on X on Wednesday.
Upon taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump issued executive orders, one of which imposed a 90-day freeze on foreign aid spending, impacting USAID programs worldwide.
The decision has sparked widespread debate both in Kenya and globally, with many expressing concerns over its potential effects, particularly on humanitarian aid.
Many NGOs have been forced to either suspend or completely shut down their operations, disrupting critical services such as healthcare, education, and food security.
As a result, thousands of employees from these organizations have lost their jobs, leaving them and their families facing financial uncertainty.
Raila’s appeal comes amid an ongoing debate over whether the United States should continue providing aid to nations especially low-income and middle-income ones that highly depend on aid from the US.
On Tuesday, U.S. Federal Judge Theodore Chuang of Maryland ruled that Donald Trump must reinstate nearly all USAID funds, stating that the withdrawal likely violated multiple provisions of the U.S. Constitution.