Kenya's foreign trader crackdown sparks fear among migrant communities

Burundian nationals queue outside their embassy in Nairobi to obtain travel documents, amid uncertainty following Kenya's crackdown on undocumented small-scale traders. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NAIROBI, Kenya — In Kibera, one of Nairobi's largest informal settlements, it's another busy morning. People rush to work, hailing matatus along the roadside as vendors set up for the day.

But for foreign nationals who run small businesses here, it's far from business as usual.

Last week, President William Ruto ordered authorities to shut down small-scale businesses operated by foreign traders, saying such work should be left to Kenyans.

The president gave them until this week to comply, prompting fear among migrant communities.

At a matatu terminal in Nairobi, James Mogaka is already seeing the impact. He manages a hub for the country's ubiquitous minibus taxis and says many of the vehicles are owned or operated by foreign nationals.

"Today they have not come. Their vehicles are not here," he says.

Mogaka says one of his drivers is too scared to come to work and is worried about his wife, a Burundian national who runs a fruit business.