Freezing USAID is Trump’s worst policy for Kenya and US, experts
Experts within and outside the Country have termed the United States of America President Donald Trump’s move to withdraw the USAID as hazardous and disastrous.
They ascertain that the orders will not only have negative impact to the Kenyan economy but also to the US.
For nearly 60 years, USAID has been a cornerstone of development in Kenya, focusing on strengthening institutions, preserving natural resources and improving lives through healthcare and economic opportunities thus the withdrawal will endanger the sustainability of crucial health and development initiatives vital for Kenya’s progress.
In an opinion to the New York Times, Samantha Power, the administrator USA Agency for International Development in Former President Biden’s administration said “we are witnessing the worst and most costly foreign policy blunders and this will be a win for Autocrats everywhere.
Former US President Barack Obama castigated Trump’s move saying “USAID has been fighting disease, feeding children, and promoting goodwill around the world for six decades. As this article makes clear, dismantling this agency would be a profound foreign policy mistake – one that Congress should resist.”
Kituyi said the USAID Agency has the best and brilliant Kenyan employees who are now off the market whereas the Kenyan government has no capacity to employ them.
He said President William Ruto’s administration will be forced to start providing food for refugee camps making it a burden for the economy.
Kituyi said the US will also feel the impact whereby it will lose its soft power and influence globally it has enjoyed for the last 20 years.
He added that the African Growth Act (NGOA) will automatically die.
He said Kenya will lose at least 1billion dollars of exports to US in the first year
Programs funded by U.S.A.I.D in Kenya which include HIV/AIDS programs, Malaria prevention, none communicable diseases prevention, Maternal and child health programs, Family planning programs, and Emergency response to drought and floods. Food security programs, Partnerships with large agricultural firms, partnerships with other sectors, such as health firms, economic growth programs, the Kenya Feed the Future Private Sector Activity (KPSA), a $48 million project that aims to accelerate economic growth through partnerships with various sectors, working with the Kenya Red Cross Society, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy among others will be paralyzed and others to completely collapse.
The impact is palpable because approximately 40,000 direct and indirect employees now face losing their jobs.
Since 2001, about 20 US agencies and departments have directly contributed to Kenya’s growth and development.
Statistics shows that US government-driven assistance contributes approximately Sh208 billion annually to the Kenyan economy.
This includes (Sh130 billion) in direct bilateral and multilateral assistance per year on average, as well as Sh88.1 billion in indirect contributions from supportive policies.
LGBTQ community will also suffer the repercussions as the gay care clinic in Kisumu that heavily depend on USAID funding for providing safesex education and health services face closure.
As of January 24, 2025, Kenya had secured $359.2 million (Sh46.4 billion) in humanitarian aid for 2024, the funds now hung in the balance.