Ruto orders crackdown on foreigners in small businesses
Kenya is preparing to tighten restrictions on foreign nationals operating in segments of the country’s informal economy after President William Ruto directed authorities to move against non-citizens engaged in small-scale trading activities.
The proposed measures are expected to affect a range of businesses commonly found in urban centres, where migrants and refugees from across East Africa have increasingly established livelihoods through retail trade, transport services and street vending.
The latest directive reflects growing pressure from local traders who argue that economic hardship and unemployment have intensified competition for customers and income. In recent months, debates over the role of foreign workers in Kenya’s informal sector have become more visible, occasionally spilling into public confrontations and sparking discussions about migration and economic opportunity.
While signalling support for stricter controls on small-scale trading, Ruto maintained that Kenya would continue to welcome foreign investment. His administration’s position is that international investors should focus on larger ventures that create employment and expand production rather than participate directly in businesses typically operated by local entrepreneurs.
The government is also seeking legal backing for the policy through proposed legislation that would reserve certain categories of trade for Kenyan citizens.
The announcement places Kenya at the centre of a broader continental debate over migration and economic participation. Several African countries have recently witnessed tensions linked to foreign workers and traders as governments grapple with unemployment, rising living costs and public demands for greater economic opportunities for citizens.
Questions remain about how the restrictions will be implemented and whether exemptions will apply to refugees and migrants who are legally permitted to work under existing laws. However, the directive signals a significant shift in Kenya’s approach to regulating participation in its vast informal economy.
Source: BBC
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