By Spy Uganda
President William Ruto’s crackdown on foreigners working and running small businesses in Kenya has triggered growing accusations of xenophobia, following a series of attacks targeting businesses and communities associated with East African nationals.
The controversy erupted after Ruto ordered authorities to intensify enforcement against foreigners whom he said were taking up small-scale businesses and unskilled jobs that should be available to Kenyans.
The government has since clarified that East African nationals are welcome in Kenya as long as they have the required immigration, work and business documents.
However, the reported attacks and the tone of the crackdown have fuelled concern among migrants and prompted some Africans to accuse Kenya of turning against its neighbours.
Kenya has now given undocumented East African Community nationals a 90-day grace period to regularise their status.
Government spokesman Charles Owino urged undocumented EAC nationals, particularly Burundian citizens, to present themselves to their respective embassies or high commissions for formal identity registration.
After the grace period, State House spokesman Hussein Mohamed said immigration, work permit, registration and licensing requirements would be enforced strictly.
The announcement comes as tensions rise in several parts of the country.
In Nairobi, mobs have reportedly attacked small businesses linked to Burundian, Rwandan and Ugandan nationals, according to risk advisory firm Armistice Security Consult International.
Residents in Nakuru have also protested against foreigners accused of taking jobs in beauty salons and barbershops and competing with Kenyans through roadside businesses.
Foreign refugee communities in Mombasa have also reportedly been targeted, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
The situation has caused fear among some foreign nationals, particularly Burundians.
Hundreds of Burundians reportedly gathered outside their embassy in Nairobi as officials processed travel documents and border passes for those considering returning home.
Burundian Ambassador Evelyne Habonimana said many had sought assistance after fleeing areas where they felt threatened.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei told those gathered outside the embassy that the government needed to know who they were and where they lived in order to protect them.
“There’s been a misunderstanding and because of that, some of you have been harmed by your neighbours,” Sing’oei said.
Kenyan authorities have strongly rejected the suggestion that the crackdown amounts to an official policy of hostility toward foreigners.
Owino said the government maintains “absolute zero tolerance” toward harassment, intimidation and xenophobia.
The government’s position is that the issue is primarily about enforcing immigration and labour laws and protecting employment opportunities for Kenyan citizens.
But critics argue that enforcement becomes dangerous when it is accompanied by hostility towards foreign nationals, especially when entire communities begin facing attacks because of their nationality.
The controversy also threatens to complicate Kenya’s image as a regional economic and humanitarian hub.
Kenya has attracted thousands of East Africans seeking jobs and business opportunities and has historically hosted refugees fleeing conflict and instability in neighbouring countries.
Ruto had also previously removed visa requirements for African nationals entering Kenya, presenting the move as part of efforts to strengthen continental integration.
The current developments have therefore created a sharp contradiction: a country promoting easier movement of Africans while simultaneously tightening its grip on foreigners living and working within its borders.
For now, the government insists that documented foreigners have nothing to fear.
But with xenophobia accusations spreading and foreign communities reporting attacks, Ruto’s administration faces growing pressure to ensure that immigration enforcement does not turn into hostility against Africans simply because they are not Kenyan.
