Kenya registers undocumented Burundians and other East Africans as authorities move to calm anxiety triggered by President William Ruto’s directive targeting foreigners in small-scale businesses, officials said.
On Monday, hundreds of Burundian nationals rushed to secure travel papers amid uncertainty over whether they could remain in the country. Kenya’s government spokesperson, Charles Owino, said individuals without valid documents should present themselves to their embassies or high commissions as the state works with diplomatic missions to regularise their status.
Owino added that those entering the process would be presumed to be in the country lawfully while registration is under way.
Ruto had set Monday as the deadline for foreigners operating small-scale enterprises to stop work, following concerns from the trade ministry that some visitors were exploiting visa rules to work without permits.
Long queues formed outside Burundi’s embassy in Nairobi after it announced free emergency travel documents for citizens wishing to return home. Others were seen hurrying to purchase bus tickets.
Reports indicated some Burundians faced hostility after the president called for action against foreign street vendors and small shop operators, saying such jobs should be reserved for Kenyans. Officials have since sought to reassure neighbouring countries there is no blanket prohibition on foreign traders.
Addressing reporters on Monday, Owino said the government had opened registration and documentation for all foreign nationals in Kenya who lack valid papers. He acknowledged that, due to historical and regional factors, a number of East African nationals, including Burundians, live and conduct business in Kenya without full documentation.
“To address this constructively, the government of Kenya is establishing a formal documentation and registration window,” Owino said, urging undocumented East African Community nationals, and Burundian citizens in particular, to report to their embassies for identity registration.
Kenya registers undocumented Burundians with 90-day compliance window
In a statement on Tuesday, the government said foreign nationals running businesses have 90 days to regularise immigration status, work permits, business registrations and licences. After that period, requirements would be enforced firmly and strictly, it said.
Authorities pledged that agencies would provide guidance and apply the rules fairly, consistently and without discrimination during the window. The statement also warned that no one is authorised to harass, intimidate, threaten or interfere with foreign nationals or their businesses.
Korir Sing’oei, a senior foreign affairs official, apologised to Burundians for harassment reported in recent days, saying the presidential directive had been misunderstood. During a visit to the Burundian embassy in Nairobi on Monday, he said security would be strengthened in areas where Burundians live.
Kenya hosts hundreds of thousands of migrants from across East Africa seeking work and business opportunities. According to the United Nations refugee agency, there are about 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers in the country, though it remains unclear how many are involved in small-scale trade.
On Monday, some Burundians were seen carrying belongings, including suitcases and mattresses, as they attempted to leave Kenya. Others said they could not afford travel costs and appealed for more time to comply with the new requirements.
Earlier this year, protests swept Spain over the government’s Ceuta migrant crisis, highlighting broader tensions around migration and cross-border movement.