Foreign Affairs PS Sing'oei apologises to Burundians as foreign trader crackdown sparks anxiety

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei has apologised to Burundian nationals living in Kenya over alleged harassment following the government's crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses without the required licences and permits. Sing'oei, who spoke today, Monday, September 7, 2026 during a visit to the Burundi Embassy along Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi, assured Burundian nationals that the government would protect them as it undertakes an exercise to identify, document and regularise their stay and businesses in Kenya. Burundian nationals living in Kenya throng the Burundi Embassy along Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi after President William Ruto's directive that ordered non-Kenya hawkers to close shop immediately, September 7, 2026. 'I want to say sorry to all the Burundi nationals here because of the problem that you have befallen you. For so many years, you have lived in Kenya together with the Kenyan nationals. You have stayed in peace as neighbours,' Sing'oei said. The PS said a directive requiring foreigners operating small businesses without licences to leave the country had been misunderstood, exposing some Burundians to ridicule and harassment from members of the public. He said the government's intention was not to target or drive away East Africans, but to ensure foreign nationals living and doing business in Kenya were properly documented. 'I say sorry because the other day there was a directive that those who operate small businesses without licences should vacate Kenya. Most of the people did not understand the message well and because of that, some of you have been exposed to ridicule from neighbours and friends, and we say sorry,' he said. Sing'oei said the government would establish where Burundian nationals live, ensure their safety and facilitate the acquisition of identification documents. Their businesses would also be registered and properly documented to give them greater security. See also Rick Santorum: Trump's claims are 'dangerous' He asked the affected nationals to remain patient as the exercise gets under way, promising tighter security in areas where they live and a public awareness campaign to prevent further harassment. 'In the coming few days, I ask you to be patient; the government will tighten security where you live so that you are not harassed where you stay. We shall also create awareness to Kenyans to understand why the government is conducting this exercise, to give us the chance to document you,' Sing'oei said. His remarks came as hundreds of Burundian nationals flocked to their embassy in Nairobi seeking passports, emergency travel documents and other official paperwork amid growing uncertainty over their status in Kenya. Large numbers were seen inside the embassy compound, while others queued at a nearby cyber café carrying identification cards, passports and permits as they waited for assistance. The embassy regularly issues travel documents to Burundian citizens, meaning the exercise itself is routine. However, the unusually high turnout coincided with heightened anxiety following President William Ruto's directive for an immediate crackdown on foreigners engaged in small-scale trade and hawking. Videos circulating online have also purportedly shown some foreign nationals gathering at bus terminals with their belongings, apparently preparing to return home, while others were said to be processing travel documents in anticipation of a possible departure. Police have, however, urged Kenyans not to target foreigners suspected of operating businesses illegally. Authorities said they had not received reports of harassment involving Burundian, Rwandan or Congolese nationals and had no confirmed reports of a mass departure. Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has similarly condemned attacks against foreigners, warning Kenyans against taking the law into their own hands as the government implements the crackdown. 'Any citizen taking the law in their hands should be ready for retaliation. We do not want any panic or sensationalisation or politicisation of a good directive,' Kinyanjui said. He said the government's concern was the protection of Kenyan traders from competition in low-level retail and hawking, rather than hostility towards foreign nationals. Kinyanjui also clarified that citizens of East African Community member states would be treated differently from nationals of countries outside the bloc. Kenya is a signatory to the EAC Common Market Protocol, which provides for the free movement of persons, goods and workers among partner states, as well as rights of residence and engagement in economic activities. However, Kinyanjui said visa-free entry into Kenya did not automatically authorise foreigners to work or operate businesses without the requisite permits and regulatory approvals. 'If you want to come, there are clear work regime requirements. In the implementation of this directive, there are clear government agencies that have a role,' he said. The government's position is also linked to the Local Content Bill 2025, which seeks to strengthen local participation in economic activities. The proposed law would require foreign companies to source at least 60 per cent of their goods and services locally and all agricultural raw materials from Kenyan farmers, while 80 per cent of their workforce would have to be Kenyan. Companies found violating the proposed requirements would face hefty penalties, including fines of at least Sh100 million, while chief executives could face imprisonment. See also CITAM stirs buzz over Sh2.4 billion 2024 revenue Ruto has defended the crackdown, insisting that Kenya's efforts to attract foreign investment were not intended to open the market to foreign hawkers and informal traders. 'Hatujajenga investor confidence ati ndio hawkers wakuje Kenya, hapana. Ile confidence tumejenga ni ya investors, siyo traders na hawkers,' the President said. Kinyanjui maintained that the government was enforcing existing work and business regulations rather than pursuing an anti-foreigner policy. 'We do not have any issue. It is just that work mobility, we do not have an agreement on people to come and work here. It is just going by what our visa requirements require, and we are going by the law,' he said.