President William Ruto of Kenya addresses attendees during the Africa Forward Summit at the -
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AP
Nairobi
The recent directive by Kenyan President William Ruto to shutter immigrant-operated small enterprises has caused widespread alarm in the nation. However, in an effort to ease these worries, Kenya has now informed foreign workers that they have a 90-day period to regularize their status.
Kenya's foreign minister has clarified that these regulations do not constitute a sweeping prohibition. Musalia Mudavadi stated, "Kenya is not enforcing a comprehensive ban on foreign nationals participating in small-scale business; rather, we aim to ensure their involvement aligns with the East African Community Common Market Protocol and relevant national legislation."
Ruto's announcement had instigated fears that Kenya might experience xenophobic violence similar to what has recently occurred in South Africa. Nairobi is taking steps to mitigate those fears.
Musalia Mudavadi emphasized, "Kenya welcomes both small and large-scale trade by foreign nationals, provided they adhere to immigration, work-permit, registration, and licensing requirements. Therefore, Kenya's approach is regulatory, not discriminatory."
The initial proclamation particularly alarmed many Burundians who rely on street vending in Nairobi for their livelihoods.
Earlier this week, hundreds of Burundians rushed to their embassy, seeking to return to their home country. In response, Kenya's junior foreign minister issued an apology, and the president's office announced it "will carry out a structured regularization process" over the next 90 days to ensure migrants possess the appropriate documentation.
