Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has confirmed that the U.S. government will continue funding critical programs in Kenya, despite an executive order by President Donald Trump that suspended foreign aid funding.
Speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, Mbadi revealed that he recently held discussions with a high-ranking U.S. official to assess the impact of Trump’s directive on Kenya.
He informed lawmakers that U.S.-funded programs in Kenya had significantly declined, with the number dropping from over 100 to just 15.
“Mr. Speaker, a day before yesterday, I met with the Charity Affairs representative of the United States in Kenya. We had an extensive discussion, and it became clear that the U.S. has been providing aid directly through implementing partners,” Mbadi stated.
He further explained, “Before the executive order, around 100 programs were running in the country. However, after the order, the number may drop to only 15.”
Despite the budget cuts, Mbadi reassured the Senate that Trump’s administration would continue supporting essential sectors, particularly life-saving interventions.
He confirmed that the U.S. government will maintain financial support for health emergencies, including responses to contagious disease outbreaks like Ebola.
Additionally, the U.S. will continue funding emergency food assistance, particularly for drought-stricken communities in northern Kenya.
Mbadi also revealed that the U.S. intends to sustain its financial commitment to Kenya’s leadership in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
“These are the areas that will be spared, based on our discussions. I also requested a written report on the impact of this executive order,” he stated.
He assured that life-saving interventions, emergency food aid, and Kenya’s security mission in Haiti would remain unaffected by the aid cuts.
