Kenya give foreigners 90 days to regularise dia status

Kenya don give foreign nationals wey dey run small-scale businesses 90 days to regularise dia immigration status, work permits and business licences.

For inside statement, State House tok-tok pesin Hussein Mohammed tok say dem go coordinate di exercise wit di embassies of affected nationals, wey go give dem "clear and structured opportunity to regularise" dia status and business operations.

"Ova di next 90 days, di govment go carry out orderly regularisation exercise to facilitate compliance, "di statement read.

Afta di 90-day period, authorities go "enforce immigration, work-permit, registration and licensing requirements firmly and strictly in accordance wit di law and due process".

Di announcement dey come afta President William Ruto earlier directive say small-scale businesses like hawking and retail suppose dey reserved for Kenyans. Dis im directive don trigger anxiety among foreign traders, particularly Burundians.

E say foreign investment dey welcomed for activities wey require greater capital, but make foreigners no compete wit Kenyans for small-scale trade.

Na Monday, 7 September Oga Ruto set as deadline for foreigners wey dey operate small-scale businesses for di kontri to stop dey operate.

Di govment also dey seek to expand di Local Content Bill, wey currently dey bifor di Parliament, to create wetin dem call "clear, fair and predictable framework" for participation in small-scale trade.

Di proposed changes go identify economic activities wey go dey reserved for Kenyan citizens, while protecting foreign nationals wey dey lawfully entitled to work, invest or conduct business for Kenya.

Di govment don also warn against harassment or intimidation of foreign nationals.

"Legitimate concerns about economic opportunity no fit eva justify discrimination, excuse lawlessness or sanction violence."

E follow one day of uncertainty for Nairobi, wia hundreds of Burundians bin gada for dia embassy on top fear ova di directive.

Burundi govment don also raise concerns about di treatment of dia nationals.

On Monday, hundreds of Burundians bin gada to process travel documents as uncertainty dey ova weda dem go fit remain for Kenya.

Long queues bin form outside Burundi embassy for di capital, Nairobi, afta dia govment say dem go offer free emergency travel documents to citizens wey wan return home.

Pipo see as odas dey rush to buy bus tickets.

Some Burundians don reportedly face hostility afta President Ruto order action against foreign street vendors and dose wey dey operate small shops.

Kenyan officials since den don try to reassure neighbouring kontris say blanket ban no dey on foreign traders.

On Monday, Oga Owino for one news conference say govment don open registration and documentation of all foreign nationals wey dey live for Kenya witout valid documents.

E say becos of historical circumstances and regional dynamics, a number of East African nationals, including several Burundians, dey live and operate for Kenya witout full documentation.

"To address dis constructively, di govment of Kenya dey set up one formal documentation and registration window," Owino tok.

"We call upon all undocumented East African community nationals, and specifically Burundian citizens wey currently dey live for Kenya, to immediately present demsefs to dia respective high commissions or embassies for formal identity registration."

Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui for statement tok say some foreigners don dey misuse di tourist and investor status to engage for activities wey dey outside di terms of dia visas.

For inside one statement, di trade ministry tok say some visitors dey "deliberately misuse dia visa applications", and e add say some foreigners enta Kenya as investors or tourists but dem later involve for business activities wey dey against dia declared status.

"Visa-free entry or exemption from eTA requirements no in itself guarantee di right to engage in employment, trade or business for Kenya," di statement read.

"Owing to di high number of foreigners involved in di retail and local trade sectors, need dey to align dia activities and ensure compliance wit work permit provisions," Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui add.

Kenya govment say foreigners wey dey work or trade for Kenya must get di appropriate work permits and licences, and dem fit withdraw di visas of dose wey e say dey breach di immigration rules.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei also say pipo take di president comment out of context.

For one post on X, e say President Ruto bin dey respond to di ongoing debate on di Local Content Bill, wey currently dey bifor di Parliament.

"We assure say small or large traders and employees of all nationalities, wey get di correct documentation, work permits and licences dey legally protected to operate for Kenya."

Oga Korir Sing'oei also tok sorry to Burundians ova di harassment some of dem don face, as e say di directive dey misunderstood.

E say di govment go tighten security for areas wia Burundians dey live.

Di govment clarification, however, no ease concerns among some foreign traders.

Alexis Ntinanirwa, di head of di Association of Burundians living in Kenya, tell BBC Great Lakes service say im no happy wit Ruto decision, but e urge Burundians to remain patient.

E warn say di issue fit get wider regional consequences becos Kenyans also dey do small-scale businesses for oda East African kontris.

"Dis issue no go only cause problems for Burundians wey dey work for Kenya, e go also cause problems for di region becos some Kenyans also dey do dis small jobs for our kontris for Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda."

Ntinanirwa advise Burundians wey dey hawk and do oda small businesses to avoid confrontation wit police.

Kenya dey host hundreds of thousands of migrants from across East Africa wey dey find work and business opportunities.

According to di United Nations refugee agency, around 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers dey for Kenya.

E neva dey clear how many dey involved for small-scale trading.

On Monday, some of dem bin pack all dia belongings - from suitcases to mattresses - as dem try to comot for Kenya. However, some of dem say dem no fit afford di cost of travel and urge di Kenyan govment to extend di deadline.