Foreign traders' crackdown could put refugees at risk, rights defenders warn
The Kenyan government has issued a directive requiring foreign nationals in small-scale businesses to close their operations, though a 90-day extension has been granted. Rights groups warn that this policy could negatively impact refugees and asylum seekers by forcing them into unregulated and unsafe work environments.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between national economic regulation and the protection of vulnerable migrant populations in East Africa.
Burundian nationals seek travel documents at their embassy along Dennis Pritt Road, Nairobi, on September 8, 2026. [David Gichuru, Standard] The Government's directive to shut down small businesses operated by foreign nationals could have unintended consequences for refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants, the Network Against Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants (NAHUSOM) has warned. The network representing 25 organisations said the order by President William Ruto risks pushing vulnerable migrants into unsafe and unregulated livelihoods. The directive issued September 3 required foreign nationals engaged in businesses such as hawking, street vending, salons and small-scale retail to close their operations by Monday 7.
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