Hundreds of Burundians living in Kenya have reportedly rushed to their embassy in Nairobi to obtain travel documents after President William Ruto ordered foreign-owned small businesses to close.
The directive has caused concern among many foreign nationals, particularly Burundians who earn a living through street vending and other small businesses in Nairobi.
Long queues formed outside the Burundi embassy on Monday as people waited for documentation to return home. Many arrived carrying suitcases, bags and brown envelopes containing their personal documents.
One Burundian, Pastor Jean-Baptiste Ndayizeye, said foreigners felt they had been unfairly targeted. He also claimed that some of his neighbors had been attacked and robbed, although the allegations could not be independently verified.
Another Burundian, Eric Bizimana, who moved to Kenya in 2022 after struggling to find work at home, said he had not obtained a work permit because of the high cost involved.
The situation has also drawn concern from Burundi’s government. Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana condemned reported violence against foreigners, particularly Burundians, and called on Kenyan authorities to protect their citizens.
Kenya’s junior foreign minister, Korir Sing’Oei, later visited the Burundi embassy, apologized to those affected and assured them that police would protect areas where violence had been reported.
Sing’Oei said President Ruto’s comments had been misunderstood, stressing that the government was mainly concerned about ensuring that foreigners living and working in Kenya were properly identified and documented.
Government spokesperson Charles Owino said authorities had opened a formal documentation and registration process, urging Burundians to present their paperwork at the embassy.
The developments have raised fresh concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals in Kenya, particularly citizens of East African Community countries who traditionally benefit from freedom of movement across the region.#newsafro_
