Kenyan FM says move to regularise status of foreign workers not 'discriminatory'

Kenyan President William Ruto's recent order to close immigrant-owned small businesses sparked panic in the country. But now, as it seeks to backtrack from the concern, Kenya has warned foreign workers they have 90 days to regularise their status.

The Kenyan foreign minister has insisted that the new rules were not a blanket ban. Musalia Mudavadi said, "Kenya is not implementing a blanket ban on foreign nationals engaging in small scale business, but is seeking to ensure that their participation is consistent with the East African Community Common Market Protocol and applicable national law."

Ruto's announcement had raised fears that Kenya could see the sort of xenophobic violence experienced in South Africa in recent months. Nairobi has sought to allay those concerns.

Musalia Mudavadi said, "Kenya is open to small and large-scale trade by foreign nationalities, as long as they are compliant with immigration, work-permit, registration and licensing requirements. Kenya’s approach is therefore more regulatory rather than discriminatory."

The initial announcement had caused particular concern among many Burundians who make a living through street vending in Nairobi.

Earlier in the week, hundreds of Burundians flocked to their embassy, seeking a return home. Following this, Kenya's junior foreign minister issued an apology, before the president's office said it "will conduct an orderly regularisation exercise" over the next 90 days to ensure migrants have the correct documents.