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Burundian nationals in Kenya at their embassy along dennis pritt road, Nairobi on September 8, 2026, seeking travel documents to leave the country, days after President William Ruto ordered closure of small businesses run by foreigners [David Gichuru, Standard]
The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya has condemned President William Ruto’s directive to shut down small-scale businesses run by foreign nationals, saying the move lacks clear statutory guidelines and poses serious risks.
In a statement dated Thursday, September 10, the lobby said the directive, issued on September 2 and enforced from September 7, has triggered confusion, targeted operations and friction between Kenyans and foreign traders.
The group acknowledged the need to support domestic micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) but warned that an administrative directive without statutory backing, coupled with reports of harassment of foreign nationals including citizens of East African Community (EAC) states, could undermine regional unity and human rights protections.
