Kenya has opened a registration and documentation process for undocumented Burundians and other East African nationals living in the country, following growing anxiety over President William Ruto’s directive restricting foreigners from operating certain small-scale businesses.
The move follows scenes of uncertainty in Nairobi, where hundreds of Burundian nationals reportedly rushed to their embassy to seek travel documents amid fears about their ability to remain in Kenya and operate businesses.
Kenya’s government spokesperson, Charles Owino, said undocumented foreign nationals would be allowed to register through their respective embassies and high commissions as authorities work with diplomatic missions to regularise their status.
Those undergoing the registration process would be considered legally present in Kenya while their documentation is processed, Owino said.
The development comes after Ruto set a deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to stop such activities, arguing that certain segments of the informal economy should be protected for Kenyan citizens.
The Kenyan government has since sought to clarify that the directive does not amount to a blanket ban on foreign nationals operating businesses in the country.
In a subsequent statement, the government said foreign nationals involved in business activities would have 90 days to regularise their immigration status, work permits, business registrations and licences.
Authorities said compliance requirements would be enforced after the grace period, while government agencies would provide guidance to affected individuals during the regularisation process.
The government also warned against harassment, intimidation or threats against foreign nationals and their businesses.
The policy has nevertheless triggered concern among Burundian nationals living in Kenya, with reports of some individuals seeking emergency travel documents and making arrangements to leave the country.
Senior Kenyan foreign affairs official Korir Sing’oei apologised to Burundians who had faced harassment and said the government’s position had been misunderstood. He also indicated that security would be strengthened in areas with significant Burundian communities.
“I want to say sorry to all the Burundi nationals here,” Sing’oei said during a visit to the Burundian embassy in Nairobi on Monday.
Kenya is a major destination for migrants, workers and entrepreneurs from across East Africa, with Nairobi serving as one of the region’s principal commercial and business centres.
The United Nations refugee agency estimates that Kenya hosts about 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers, although it remains unclear how many Burundian nationals living in the country are involved in small-scale trading.
The situation has also raised concerns about possible implications for regional economic integration.
Burundi’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Edouard Bizimana, criticised reports of hostility towards Burundian nationals and called on the Kenyan government to ensure their safety.
The issue was also raised with representatives of the East African Community, the regional bloc that includes both Kenya and Burundi and promotes closer economic integration among member states.
Alexis Ntinanirwa, who heads the Association of Burundians Living in Kenya, warned that restrictions on foreign participation in small-scale businesses could create wider regional tensions, noting that Kenyan citizens also operate businesses in neighbouring East African countries.
“This issue is not only going to cause problems for Burundians working in Kenya, but it is also going to cause problems in the region because there are also Kenyans doing these small jobs in our countries in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.”
Ruto’s position has generated debate within Kenya and beyond, particularly over whether restrictions on foreign participation in informal and small-scale businesses could fuel anti-migrant sentiment.
The Kenyan president has maintained that the country remains open to foreign investment but has argued that investors should focus on creating jobs, expanding production and supporting broader economic activity rather than competing directly with Kenyans in certain small-scale businesses.
The situation also reflects broader tensions across parts of Africa over the participation of foreign nationals in local economies, following restrictions on foreign traders in Tanzania and recurring concerns about anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa.
Source attribution: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
