The Kenyan government has given foreigners running businesses in the country 90 days to obtain or update required documents, including work permits and business licences.
The directive follows recent remarks by President William Ruto concerning foreign-owned businesses, which triggered anxiety among immigrant communities, particularly Burundians and Congolese living and working in Kenya.
Presidential spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said government agencies would work with foreign embassies to carry out the documentation exercise. He also warned against threats, harassment and intimidation of foreign business owners.
The announcement comes after hundreds of Burundian nationals visited their embassy in Nairobi on Monday to seek travel and other documents. Some said they were considering returning home because of fears for their safety.
The issue has also sparked debate among Kenyans, some of whom complain that foreign nationals are taking low-paying jobs and establishing small businesses that they believe create unfair competition for local traders.
Kenya, which has the strongest economy in the East African region, attracts both foreign investors and workers from neighbouring countries.
Last week, President Ruto acknowledged receiving complaints from local small-business owners who alleged that foreigners were competing unfairly with them.
He subsequently directed Kenyan lawmakers to expand a bill currently before Parliament to provide for fair participation by foreigners in small businesses and identify sectors that could be reserved exclusively for Kenyan citizens.
Foreign Communities Express Fear
The president’s directive has caused concern within Kenya’s Burundian and Congolese communities.
One businessman, Eric Munahayo, told local media that his shop in a Nairobi suburb had been attacked by unidentified men.
“I have been living well with Kenyans, I have become part of the community here and have the correct licenses,” he told journalists on Monday.
Mohamed explained that the government’s registration exercise was designed to ensure that foreign nationals comply with Kenyan laws and East African Community rules governing the movement of goods, labour and services.
“Every person conducting business in Kenya is required to comply with applicable immigration, work-permit, registration and licensing requirements. Over the next 90 days, the government will conduct an orderly regularisation exercise to facilitate compliance,” Mohamed said.
Government Seeks to Reassure Foreigners
Korir Sing’oei, Permanent Secretary in Kenya’s Foreign Ministry, visited dozens of Burundian nationals at their embassy in Nairobi on Monday.
He apologised for what he described as a misrepresentation of the president’s directive and said the registration exercise was also intended to improve the security of foreign nationals living in Kenya.
“We just want to know who you are, where you live and what you do so that we can provide security even for you all,” he told them.
The Kenyan government has maintained that the exercise is focused on documentation and compliance rather than targeting foreign nationals.
However, the developments have continued to raise concerns among some immigrant communities, particularly following reports of harassment and attacks.
The Burundian government has yet to issue a response to the latest developments.
However, Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana shared a video on Sunday showing a Kenyan threatening Burundians living in Kenya. He accompanied the video with a warning:
“Kenyans live peacefully in Burundi. But if this hate speech against Burundi continues things will certainly change. Kenya government is responsible for the lives of Burundians living in Kenya.”
The 90-day regularisation period is expected to give foreign business owners time to update their immigration, work and business documents while Kenyan authorities work with foreign embassies to implement the exercise.
