Kenya's 90-Day Foreigner Registration Rule Sparks Panic Among Burundian Nationals
Kenya's 90-day deadline for foreigners to update business and immigration documents has triggered anxiety and queues at the Burundi embassy in Nairobi.
Hundreds of Burundian nationals lined up outside their embassy in Nairobi on Monday, seeking documents as Kenya's new 90-day directive for foreigners to regularize their immigration and business paperwork took effect.
The move, announced by the Kenyan government, requires foreigners to update work permits and business licenses. Officials have framed the registration process as a compliance measure aimed at protecting foreigners while ensuring orderly business participation.
The directive follows public debate in Kenya, where some citizens have argued that foreigners are taking up menial jobs and setting up small businesses, creating what they see as unfair competition for locals. In response, President William Ruto has directed lawmakers to expand a bill to ensure fair participation in small businesses.
However, the 90-day rule has stirred deep anxiety among Burundian nationals. One man, Eli Bishma, claimed that hardworking foreigners like him are being harassed and attacked in their homes. "They are telling us we came with nothing from Burundi and that we should leave the way we came," he said, adding that he and others work rather than beg.
Another national, Falen Rashid, expressed anguish over the prospect of leaving his child behind. "What is hurting me more is my child that I have here. Will the child really survive if I, the father, am not here?" he asked, appealing for help in taking his family with him.
The Burundian government has not yet commented on the developments.