Burundians seek to leave Kenya ahead of crackdown on foreign traders

Hundreds of Burundians carrying suitcases and other belongings formed long lines outside their embassy in Nairobi on Monday, seeking travel documents to return home. Their move followed Kenyan President William Ruto’s order to shut down small businesses operated by foreign traders.

“There are so many people who have come here and we don’t know when we will get any help. I am not going home by choice. I have been forced to go,” said Peter Nakumujango, 62.

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There are so many people who have come here and we don’t know when we will get any help. I am not going home by choice. I have been forced to go.

After meeting Kenyan traders who had protested tax reforms, Ruto last week directed authorities to close foreign-owned small-scale businesses from Monday. Kenya’s trade ministry said the order applied to foreigners operating without work permits. There were no visible signs of a crackdown in Nairobi on Monday, but some Burundians outside the embassy said neighbors had threatened them since Ruto’s remarks.

The U.N. refugee agency says Kenya has about 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers. Many earn a living in small businesses in Nairobi, selling products including coffee and used clothes. Burundi’s ambassador to Kenya was not immediately available for comment.

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They should give us at least a week to plan and go back to Burundi or help us cross the border.

“They should give us at least a week to plan and go back to Burundi or help us cross the border,” said Munezero Farnke, 18. “I have lived here for three years without even an ID and I was planning to go back next year.”

Ruto’s critics accused him of scapegoating foreigners for Kenya’s economic difficulties before next year’s election, when he is due to seek a second term. Activist Hanifa Adan wrote in the Daily Nation, “When a state runs out of answers for a collapsing economy, it invariably goes looking for an enemy.” Last Thursday, Ruto also ordered India’s Tata Chemicals to stop operating in Kenya, saying its presence had not benefited the country. Tata Chemicals said it respected the government’s authority and remained committed to constructive engagement.

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When a state runs out of answers for a collapsing economy, it invariably goes looking for an enemy.