Burundians rush to leave Kenya ahead of crackdown on unregistered traders

Hundreds of Burundians in Kenya are scrambling to process travel documents to leave the country ahead of the crackdown on unlicensed small businesses run by migrants.

Kenyan President William Ruto set Monday as the deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to cease work, after the trade ministry said some exploited visa rules to work without the required permits.

Long queues were seen outside Burundi's embassy in the capital Nairobi after it said it would offer free emergency travel documents to citizens who want to go back home. Others are racing to buy bus tickets.

Kenya hosts hundreds of thousands of migrants from across East Africa seeking work and business opportunities.

Kenya's trade ministry said there had been "deliberate misuse of visa applications by some visitors", who arrived as investors or tourists but got involved in business activities that breached their declared status.

According to the United Nations refugee agency, there are around 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya.

It is unclear how many are involved in small-scale trading or how many would be affected by the crackdown.

Burundians have been seen carrying all their belongings - from suitcases to mattresses - as they try to leave ahead of the crackdown, but some of them said they could not afford the cost of travel and urged the Kenyan government to extend the deadline.