Kenya Insights

Tag: Bill Gates

  • Bill Gates Admits To Past ‘Affairs,’ Apologises Over Epstein Ties

    Bill Gates Admits To Past ‘Affairs,’ Apologises Over Epstein Ties

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has openly acknowledged having had two extramarital affairs with Russian women and apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation for his past association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, describing that connection as a “huge mistake.

    Gates addressed his foundation’s employees at a town hall meeting on February 24, shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice released a large trove of files linked to investigations into Epstein’s crimes.

    In remarks reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, he said he deeply regretted his relationship with Epstein and the impact it had on the foundation’s work.

    “I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” Gates said, while insisting that he “did nothing illicit” and had not witnessed any illegal conduct related to Epstein’s criminal activities.

    In his comments, Gates confirmed that he had two affairs with women — one described as a Russian bridge player and another as a Russian nuclear physicist — but stressed that these relationships were unrelated to any victims of Epstein and had been separate from his philanthropic work.

    Gates also addressed photos and documents included in the recently released files, saying some images showing him with unidentified women were taken at the request of Epstein’s associates after meetings, not during any wrongdoing. He emphasised that he had never spent time with Epstein’s victims.

    The billionaire acknowledged he first met Epstein in 2011, years after the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution, and admitted he continued the association into 2014 despite concerns raised by others. Gates said at the time he did not conduct a thorough background check and now views the relationship with regret.

    His remarks reflect Gates’s effort to confront renewed scrutiny after the release of millions of pages of Justice Department files related to the Epstein case, which had earlier prompted controversy and raised questions about the links between powerful figures and the disgraced financier.

    In discussing his personal conduct, Gates acknowledged that learning more about Epstein’s crimes made his own interactions seem “a hundred times worse” and stressed that the foundation’s reputation is highly sensitive to how its leaders engage with others.

    Gates’s comments come as the Gates Foundation continues its global health and philanthropic initiatives, but the disclosed ties have underscored the challenges high-profile organisations face when past associations resurface in public scrutiny.

  • Bill Gates Pulls Out of India AI Summit Amid Renewed Scrutiny Over Epstein Ties

    Bill Gates Pulls Out of India AI Summit Amid Renewed Scrutiny Over Epstein Ties

    Bill Gates withdrew from an artificial intelligence summit in India on Thursday, hours before he was scheduled to deliver a keynote address, as renewed scrutiny over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced.

    “After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address,” the Gates Foundation said in a statement.

    The foundation said it will instead be represented by Ankur Vora, president of its Africa and India offices, who is scheduled to speak later in the day.

    It added that the foundation “remains fully committed” to its health and development work in India.

    The decision follows the release of thousands of documents under the US Epstein Files Transparency Act.

    Earlier this month, the Microsoft co-founder described it as “foolish” to have spent time with Epstein, who was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

    Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 and was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution. Critics have described the sentence he received at the time as a “sweetheart deal.”

    In an interview with 9News Australia, Gates, 70, denied wrongdoing and said he never visited Epstein’s private island, where child abuse and human trafficking were alleged to have taken place.

    “It’s factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to the island, I never met any women,” Gates said.

    “It just reminds me that every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize I did that,” he added.

    The weeklong summit in New Delhi, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has drawn representatives from more than 100 countries and is being promoted as the first major global AI gathering in the Global South.

    Technology leaders including Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman and Dario Amodei attended, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

  • Bill Gates Pledges Sh26 Billion to Kenya’s Health Sector as Trump Cuts Foreign Aid

    Bill Gates Pledges Sh26 Billion to Kenya’s Health Sector as Trump Cuts Foreign Aid

    American billionaire Bill Gates has committed Sh26 billion in direct budget support to Kenya’s health sector, offering a lifeline as the Trump administration slashes foreign aid programmes across Africa.

    The Gates Foundation grant, alongside Sh4 billion from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, brings total philanthropic support to Sh30 billion for the current fiscal year ending in June, according to data from the University of Nairobi’s Centre for Epidemiological Modelling.

    The funding comes at a critical time for Kenya’s healthcare system, which has seen total external support plummet from Sh126 billion last year to just Sh54 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. Off-budget support alone dropped from Sh87 billion to Sh26 billion, following President Donald Trump’s decision to cut major US-funded health contracts.

    Gates Foundation has announced plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in women’s health globally, focusing on conditions that have historically been neglected. The investment will target five key areas including obstetric care and maternal immunisation, maternal health and nutrition, gynaecological and menstrual health, contraceptive innovation, and sexually transmitted infections.

    Warren Buffett’s foundation, named after his first wife and managed by his children, is providing direct financing to the Kenyan government for the first time. The organisation supports reproductive health initiatives, including access to contraception and safe abortion services.

    The aid cuts have created a critical shortage of essential medicines worth Sh34.7 billion, with HIV treatments facing the largest gap at Sh14.47 billion, followed by tuberculosis drugs at Sh13.81 billion. Vaccines, nutrition supplements, and malaria treatments also face significant shortfalls.

    The Global Fund, which fights HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, has contributed Sh14 billion in direct budget support, making it one of the top three external funders alongside the Gates and Buffett foundations.

    The shift in funding sources has also changed Kenya’s debt structure for health financing. The share of grants in on-budget external funding has risen to 67.9 percent in 2025/26, up from 46.2 percent the previous year, as the proportion of loans dropped to just 32.1 percent.

    Gates, ranked as the world’s 14th richest person, and Buffett, the 11th richest, have long collaborated on global health philanthropy. Melinda French Gates, Bill’s ex-wife, has separately invested in women’s health since leaving the Gates Foundation last year.

    The American government’s retreat from global health funding has created what observers describe as an urgent gap, challenging wealthy philanthropists and international charities to fill the void left by cuts to US aid programmes that have supported health initiatives across the continent for decades.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • KEMRI Receives Sh516 Million Gates Foundation Grant for Women’s Health Research

    KEMRI Receives Sh516 Million Gates Foundation Grant for Women’s Health Research

    Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has secured a Sh516 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch a three-year initiative advancing women’s health research across sub-Saharan Africa, the institute announced last Friday.

    The program, named Leadership for Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on Women’s Health (LEA-WH), will commence in January 2026 and aims to empower mid-career African researchers to develop local solutions for pressing women’s health challenges including maternal mortality, gynecological disorders and reproductive health issues.

    KEMRI’s Acting Director General Prof. Elijah Songok said the initiative represents a significant investment in Africa’s health future. “The LEA-WH Programme represents KEMRI’s commitment to building scientific leadership that is inclusive, innovative and African-led,” Prof. Songok stated.

    The program will train 60 sub-Saharan African mid-career researchers and innovators through a 480-hour annual hybrid curriculum developed in collaboration with the US National Academy of Medicine and the Gates Foundation. The training allocates 70 percent to research and development, 15 percent to women’s health and 15 percent to leadership development.

    Participants will follow one of two tracks: an Innovation and Product Development Track for engineers, entrepreneurs and clinicians focused on creating women’s health products, or an Academic Research Track for mid-career women’s health researchers.

    By 2033, KEMRI expects the program to yield five to 10 products reaching market testing, establish five to 10 startup companies, file five to 10 patent applications and secure additional research grants for 20 to 50 percent of scholars. The initiative also anticipates catalyzing $3 million to $5 million in follow-on funding.

    Prof. Elizabeth Anne Bukusi, who will direct the program, emphasized the vision of African-led innovation. “We aim to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem where African researchers and innovators lead in developing transformative solutions for women’s health,” she said.

    The leadership team includes Dr. Martin Bundi for curriculum development, Prof. Nelly Mugo for research and technical training, and Dr. Rose Bosire for leadership development, all operating under an advisory council chaired by Prof. Songok.

    Backlash on Social Media

    The announcement has triggered renewed criticism on social media, where skeptics have revived conspiracy theories about the Gates Foundation’s work in Africa. Critics on X, formerly Twitter, have questioned whether foreign-funded programs genuinely serve public health or push hidden agendas.

    Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). PHOTO/Print
    Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). PHOTO/Print

    One user claimed KEMRI is now “owned by Bill Gates,” linking the grant to fears about population control in Africa. Others warned that reliance on “billionaire philanthropy” turns African institutions into “testing grounds” for external interests.

    These theories, which allege Gates aims to depopulate Africa through vaccines or health programs, have circulated for years despite repeated debunkings by fact-checkers and health experts. Gates has publicly addressed population concerns, stating that improving health and education naturally leads to lower birth rates without coercive measures.

    Some users also raised unverified allegations about KEMRI’s past research practices, calling for greater ethical oversight in foreign-funded research.

    The Gates Foundation has committed up to $2.5 billion globally by 2030 to address chronically underfunded women’s health areas including obstetric care, maternal nutrition and gynecological health.

    As KEMRI positions itself as a regional hub for medical excellence, addressing public skepticism will be crucial to maintaining trust in international health partnerships and ensuring the program’s success.

  • Bill Gates Reveals His Kids Will Inherit ‘Less Than 1%’ of His Wealth: ‘Earn Your Own Way’

    Bill Gates Reveals His Kids Will Inherit ‘Less Than 1%’ of His Wealth: ‘Earn Your Own Way’

    Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has revealed that his children will inherit less than 1% of his massive $155 billion fortune.

    A decision rooted in values, not dollars.

    Gates, 69, shares three children Jennifer Gates Nassar, Rory Gates, and Phoebe Gates with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates.

    While many might assume the billionaire would leave behind mountains of wealth for his children, Gates made it clear.

    This was in a recent appearance on the Figuring Out with Raj Shamani podcast that he’s taking a different path.

    “It’s not a dynasty,” he said candidly.

    “I’m not asking them to run Microsoft. I want them to have their own success, to build something meaningful in their own right.”

    Gates acknowledged that his children have already benefited from immense privilege: a safe and comfortable upbringing, access to elite education, and countless life opportunities.

    But now, he wants them to chart their own course without the shadow of inherited billions.

    “They got a great upbringing and education but less than 1% of the total wealth,” he explained.

    “I don’t want them to ever be confused about the fact that I love and support them, but it’s also important to communicate early how you view giving and legacy.”

    For Gates, the bulk of his fortune has a higher calling: to improve lives around the world through his foundation.

    The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world.

    It has focused its efforts on global health, poverty reduction, education access, and disease eradication.

    “The highest use of these resources,” he said, “is to give them back to the neediest.”

    Tech titans turning away from generational wealth

    Bill Gates isn’t the only tech billionaire turning away from the idea of family empires.

    The late Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, reportedly had no interest in leaving behind a towering legacy fund for his children.

    His widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, said in a 2020 interview with The New York Times that she would not be handing billions to their three children.

    Jobs, worth an estimated $7 billion at the time of his death in 2011, was more focused on innovation and change than inheritance.

    Likewise, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and one of the richest men in the world, has spoken about directing much of his wealth to climate causes and philanthropy not just family.

    This growing trend among the ultra-wealthy reflects a broader shift: wealth isn’t just being preserved it’s being redirected toward purpose-driven missions that aim to solve real-world problems.

    And while Gates’s decision might raise eyebrows, he believes it’s the most responsible and loving thing a parent in his position can do.

    “I had incredible luck and fortune — but I don’t want that to define my children. I want them to define themselves.”

    Inheriting values, not just wealth

    Although Gates’s children won’t be inheriting billions, they are inheriting something arguably more powerful.

    A mindset of service, ambition, and humility.

    And with even 1% of his fortune around $1.55 billion they’ll still be in the top tier of global wealth.

    But for Gates, it’s not about the numbers it’s about the legacy of intention.

    And he’s betting that the greatest gift he can give his children is the freedom and the challenge to build something of their own.

  • Bill Gates To Stand Trial For Allegedly Misleading The Public On Covid-19 Vaccines Safety

    Bill Gates To Stand Trial For Allegedly Misleading The Public On Covid-19 Vaccines Safety

    Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates is set to stand trial in the Netherlands for allegedly misleading the public about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.

    In an epoch-making decision by a Dutch court on Wednesday, a ruling was made after seven plaintiffs claimed to have suffered adverse effects after being vaccinated during at the height of the pandemic.

    The complainants have sued the philanthropist, former Dutch Prime Minister and current NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, members of the Dutch government’s Covid-19 Outbreak Management Team, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, and the Dutch state itself.

    According to a Dutch publication, last year, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit naming Gates as one of the “experts” who made several claims about the Covid-19 experimental vaccines.

    The complainants argued that Gates, through his involvement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum (WEF), was involved in a far-reaching agenda known as “The Great Reset Project.”

    The Great Reset initiative was an economic recovery plan drawn in June 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    According to its proponents and initiators, it was meant to facilitate rebuilding after the devastation occasioned by the pandemic in a way that prioritises sustainable development.

    In the lawsuit, the complainants claimed that the agenda of the initiative included pushing for the uptake of unsafe vaccines.

    Hence, they were deceived into taking the injections which have had devastating effects on them.

    In 2020, Gates warned that developing a COVID-19 vaccine is only half the battle through his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    “Several vaccines are in human trials, we aren’t sure which vaccines will be the most effective yet, and each requires unique technology to make. That means nations need to invest in many different kinds of manufacturing facilities now, knowing that some will never be used. Otherwise, we’ll waste months after the lab develops an immunisation, waiting for the right manufacturer to scale up”, Gates said in his article in 2020.

    The complainants further claimed that Gates made false statements about the vaccines promising that they would stop the virus transmission, prevent the illness, and eliminate the need for protective gear.

    The court documents revealed that one of the seven plaintiffs had reportedly died since the initial filing, leaving six others.

    Reports further indicate that Gates tried to stop the case but the court dismissed his attempts, citing jurisdiction issues as an American citizen.

    He has been ordered to pay the plaintiffs’ legal fees of $1,518.44 (sh195, 878) within 14 days or face additional penalties.

    With a new hearing scheduled for November 27, 2024, questions persist regarding the safety of the vaccine which was supplied to millions worldwide.

    In May 2022, one of the vaccine recipients, Gates announced that he had tested positive for the virus despite having been vaccinated and boosted.

    “I’ve tested positive for COVID. I’m experiencing mild symptoms and am following the experts’ advice by isolating until I’m healthy again,” the Microsoft founder wrote on his X account.

    The vaccine was being administered in booster batches, following expert advice due to the emergence of new Covid-19 variants.

    In the wake of the global pandemic in 2020, several vaccines including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTtech, Johnson and Johnson, and Sinopharm vaccines were dispatched to Kenya.

    Due to the vaccine shortage amid the virus surge, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board approved the emergency use of vaccines such as Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer by August 2021.

    The Pfizer vaccine became available since it was largely donated to Kenya by the American government.

    Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula), has not been approved or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration but has been authorised under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to prevent Covid-19.

     At some point during the pandemic, the Kenyan government pushed citizens to get vaccinated or risk losing access to government services.

    For instance, mRNA Covid-19 vaccines were administered in the upper arm muscle or upper thigh, depending on the age of the person.

    In the process of complying with government directives, a large number of people were turned out for vaccination, with some individuals experiencing severe side effects.

    Addressing the media in 2021, the then Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, announced that at least 277 people had exhibited adverse effects from the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

    Kagwe added that the effects varied from headaches, fever, nausea, fatigue, and excessive sweating and would clear within two days.

    In another similar report, the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) then announced that 279 people had suffered from adverse effects after taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

    After the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts have been made to strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks on the continent.

    In October 2023, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged a $40 million (Sh5.2 billion) investment to assist multiple African manufacturers in producing messenger RNA vaccines on the continent.

    The Messenger RNA vaccine technology gained prominence with the development of COVID-19 vaccines by companies like Pfizer and Moderna.

    “The idea is that many of the future vaccines, whether it’s for local diseases in Africa like Rift Valley or for global diseases like TB, mRNA looks like a very promising approach. And so it allows us to bring in lots of African capabilities to work on these vaccines, and then this can be scaled up,” explained Gates

    Quantoom Biosciences is to get $20 million to advance work on its mRNA manufacturing platform.

    The Senegal-based Institute Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) and Biovac in South Africa will get $5 million each, to buy the technology.

    The Gates Foundation will grant another US$10 million (Sh1.3 billion) to yet-to-be-named vaccine manufacturers in low and middle-income countries.

    This would not be the first time that the foundation has contributed towards the availability of vaccines in Africa.

    In the latest turn of events, it donated the polio vaccine which has also left citizens with some negative side effects.

    The Ministry of Health has since then disputed the unverified reports of adverse effects linked to the recent polio vaccination campaign.

    “The ministry has received reports of adverse effects arising from the polio vaccination campaign. We urge the public to refrain from spreading rumours until we release official information. Investigations are ongoing and we will issue a formal statement in due course,” stated the ministry on X.

    William ‘Bill’ Henry Gates, together with his ex-wife, Melinda, have emerged as major players in philanthropy, with a special focus on food and vaccine production and nutrition.

    However, Bill has been facing accusations, including theories over his alleged thoughts to ‘depopulate’ Africa, through control of food chains and vaccines.

    In 2010, the Gates Foundation Trust invested about $23 million in Monsanto, a company that has since been taken over by German chemical company, Bayer. Monsanto has footprints in the production of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), whose planned introduction in Kenya has been met with mixed feelings.

    The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is expected to open a regional office in Nairobi later this year, with a focus on healthcare, agriculture and ICT. However, the granting of special status to the foundation’s expatriate officials, including privileges and immunity from possible prosecution has raised eyebrows amongst a section of political and human rights activists.

  • Bill And Melinda Gates Finalize Their Divorce

    Bill And Melinda Gates Finalize Their Divorce

    The divorce of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates has been finalized.

    The Microsoft co-founder and his wife announced in May they were ending their 27-year marriage and on Monday a King County Superior Court judge signed the dissolution decree. The New York Times reports the court documents didn’t detail how they would divide their assets.

    Bill Gates was formerly the world’s richest person and his fortune is estimated at about $150 billion.

    They met after she began working at Microsoft as a product manager in 1987. The two were married in 1994 in Hawaii.

    The Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the most influential private foundation in the world, with an endowment worth about $50 billion. It has focused on global health and development and U.S. education issues since incorporating in 2000.

    The two have said they will continue to work together as co-chairs of their foundation. However, if after two years Gates and French Gates decide they cannot continue in their roles, French Gates will resign her positions as co-chair and trustee, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced earlier this month.

    If French Gates resigns, Gates would essentially buy her out of the foundation, one of the world’s largest private charitable organizations, and she would receive resources from him to do her own philanthropic work. The resources received would be separate from the foundation’s endowment, according to foundation.

  • Bill Gates: I Have A Cemented Friendship With Aliko Dangote

    Bill Gates: I Have A Cemented Friendship With Aliko Dangote

    By Bill Gates 
    Have you ever met someone new and immediately felt like you could talk to them for hours?

    That happened the first time I met Aliko Dangote. A couple years ago, he and I ended up going to the same event in New York. A mutual friend suggested that I meet him because he knew we were both super interested in global health. So we made sure to sit next to each other at dinner.

    As soon as we shook hands, it was clear we had a ton in common. We both started successful businesses in the late 1970s. For our second act in life, we both chose to start foundations aimed at improving health and education. (Today, the Dangote Foundation is the largest such organization in sub-Saharan Africa.)

    More importantly, we both love to geek out over things that make some people’s eyes glaze over, like cement, fertilizer, and iodized salt. Check out this video of Aliko’s recent visit to our foundation’s office in Seattle for proof:

    That first meeting sparked the beginning of a fruitful friendship. In 2016, our foundations announced a joint, five-year $100 million commitment to reducing malnutrition in Nigeria.

    Malnutrition is the greatest health inequity in the world. It’s responsible for nearly half of all under 5 deaths in Nigeria (and around the world). Even if you survive to adulthood, your chances of dying are much higher, and your quality of life is greatly reduced.

    One of the ways our foundations are working together to fight malnutrition is through food fortification. Kids often become malnourished when they don’t get enough micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—to digest their food properly. One way to correct this is by adding micronutrients to the food that families—especially those from low-income households—are purchasing every day.

    When you go to a grocery store in the U.S., a lot of food already has this fortification. Think iodized salt, or milk that comes with extra vitamin D and calcium. By introducing additional micronutrients to the food people are already eating, you can improve health without changing any habits. Our foundations are now working together to find other staple foods and condiments that could be used to deliver more micronutrients to more people in Nigeria, like fortified bouillon cubes. (I talked with Aliko about this at our Goalkeepers event in New York a couple days ago. You can watch a video of our conversation here.)

    Improving health in Nigeria is critical to making progress in sub-Saharan Africa. The country is home to nearly a quarter of all people living in sub-Saharan Africa, and that population is only going to grow in the future. By solving problems in Nigeria, you can have a huge impact on all of Africa.

    Aliko Dangote understands this, and that’s why he’s committed to making progress in his home country. Melinda and I are lucky to have him as a partner (and friend!) in improving health.