Hundreds of Burundians in Nairobi rushed to the Burundian embassy on Monday after William Ruto told foreigners running small businesses to close them. Burundi’s migrants queued for hours to request a pass to return home.
Jean-Baptiste Ndayizeye said, “They are expelling us like animals.” Some Burundians had already packed suitcases and plastic bags, while others waited to see whether the deadline would hold.
William Ruto and Nairobi
Ruto told foreigners running small businesses until Monday to close them. He added, “We did not build investor confidence for street vendors to come to Kenya.”
For Burundians in Nairobi, the order landed on a community already used to moving across borders inside the East African Community. Burundi and Kenya are both members, and the bloc guarantees free movement of citizens.
Burundians in Kenya seek passes
Eric Bizimana came to Kenya in 2022 “in search of a (better) life.” He said he earned between 100 and 130 euros a month in low-paying jobs and never applied for a work permit in Kenya. His choices narrowed to staying under pressure or trying to leave with papers that could get him across the border.
Mélance Bukuru asked the Kenyan government for a delay so he could raise the hundred euros needed for his return trip. Nkunzimana Déo closed his furniture manufacturing workshop on Monday after hurrying all weekend to deliver to customers; the workshop was registered with the Kenyan tax authorities and employed eight people, including four Kenyans.
Burundi and Kenya pressure
William Ruto did not mention expulsions, yet Burundians in Nairobi said they felt pushed out and rushed to seek return passes. Edouard Bizimana denounced “violence against foreigners, particularly Burundians” in Kenya, though AFP was unable to verify the violence.
Nkunzimana Déo arrived in Kenya in 2015 and obtained refugee status. He left the workshop to return home “to see if the president will change his policy,” and that leaves the next move with the Kenyan government: whether the order stays in place, gets eased, or is enforced against Burundians still trying to keep their businesses open in Nairobi.
