Kenya says it will register undocumented Burundians and other East Africans living in the country, following days of anxiety over President William Ruto’s directive targeting foreigners in small-scale businesses.
On Monday, hundreds of Burundians scrambled to process travel documents amid uncertainty over whether they could remain in Kenya.
Charles Owino, the Kenyan government spokesperson, has now said those without proper documents should register through their embassies or high commissions as the authorities work with diplomatic missions to regularise their status.
Those undergoing registration would be presumed legally in Kenya during the process, Owino said.
Ruto had set Monday as the deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to cease work. The directive came after the trade ministry said some foreigners exploit visa rules to work without the required permits.
Long queues were seen outside Burundi’s embassy in the capital, Nairobi, after it said it would offer free emergency travel documents to citizens who wanted to go back home.
Others were seen racing to buy bus tickets.
Some Burundians have reportedly faced hostility after President Ruto ordered action against foreign street vendors and those operating small shops, saying such jobs should be protected for Kenyans.
Kenyan officials have since sought to reassure neighbouring countries that there is no blanket ban on foreign traders.
Addressing a news conference on Monday, Owino said the government had opened registration and documentation of all foreign nationals residing in Kenya without valid documents.
He acknowledged that because of historical circumstances and regional dynamics, a number of East African nationals, including several Burundians, resided and operated in Kenya without full documentation.
“To address this constructively, the government of Kenya is establishing a formal documentation and registration window,” Owino said.
“We call upon all undocumented East African community nationals, and specifically Burundian citizens currently residing in Kenya, to immediately present themselves to their respective high commissions or embassies for formal identity registration,” he added.
As part of the process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to work closely with the Embassy of Burundi and other regional partners to address and regularise these cases, according to Owino.
Meanwhile, senior Kenyan foreign affairs official Korir Sing’oei has apologised to Burundians over the harassment some have faced, saying the president’s directive had been misunderstood.
“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.
He said the government would tighten security 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 around 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya.
It is unclear how many are involved in small-scale trading.
On Monday, some of them were on Monday seen carrying all their belongings – from suitcases to mattresses – as they tried to leave Kenya. However, some of them said they could not afford the cost of travel and urged the Kenyan government to extend the deadline.
Ruto’s directive follows a similar crackdown in Tanzania last year and rising anti‑migrant sentiment in South Africa.
Burundi’s Foreign Affairs Minister Edouard Bizimana said in a post on X that “Kenyans in Burundi were living peacefully but if the hate speech against Burundi continues things will certainty change”.
“Kenya government is responsible for the lives of Burundians living in Kenya,” he added.
Ruto had said that while Kenya remained open to foreign investment, it could not be “that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop”.
He argued that investors should create jobs and expand production rather than compete with Kenyans in small businesses.
His comments sparked mixed reactions, with some critics describing them as a populist move that risked stoking xenophobia. Government officials deny the allegation.
Some foreign nationals say they fear for their safety, while police have warned Kenyans against targeting them.
Bizimana organised an urgent meeting with representatives of the East African Community (EAC), an eight-member bloc which promotes economic integration in the region. Both Kenya and Burundi are part of the group.
He said he had asked the Kenyan ambassador to convey to his government Burundi’s concerns and to ensure that no Burundian was subjected to abuse.
Alexis Ntinanirwa, the head of the Association of Burundians living in Kenya, told the BBC Great Lakes service that he was unhappy with Ruto’s decision, but was urging Burundians to remain patient.
He warned that the issue could have wider regional consequences because Kenyans were also involved in small-scale businesses in other 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.”
Ntinanirwa advised Burundians involved in hawking and other small businesses to avoid confrontation with police.
