Kenya has offered a temporary registration amnesty to undocumented nationals from other East African countries after hundreds of Burundians sought travel documents in Nairobi amid concern about a crackdown on foreign-owned small businesses.
The Kenyan government said people who register during the designated period would be treated as legally present while the process is under way. It did not specify the closing date for the registration window in the statement reported by Reuters.
The announcement followed President William Ruto’s call last week for authorities to close small-scale businesses operated by foreign traders. Kenya’s trade ministry said the order applied to foreign nationals operating without work permits.
Long queues formed outside Burundi’s embassy in Nairobi on Monday as people sought documents to return home. Some Burundian nationals told Reuters they feared enforcement action or threats after the president’s remarks.
Ruto’s administration said Kenya had zero tolerance for harassment or intimidation and urged undocumented East Africans, particularly Burundians, to register through their embassies. The government said the process would be coordinated with regional partners.
There were no signs of a broad crackdown in Nairobi on Monday, according to the Reuters report carried by SABC News.
The UN refugee agency estimates that about 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers live in Kenya. Many earn an income through small-scale trading, including the sale of coffee and second-hand clothing.
Burundi’s ambassador to Kenya was not immediately available for comment when Reuters sought a response. Burundi’s Foreign Affairs Minister Edouard Bizimana also did not respond to requests for comment.
The registration offer shifts the immediate focus from business closures to documentation, but the practical duration and application process will depend on further instructions from Kenyan authorities and the affected embassies.
