Police in Nairobi have arrested a man accused of making inciteful remarks targeting Burundians living in Kenya, according to the Eastleigh Voice. The arrest comes as the Kenyan government prepares to register and document undocumented Burundians and other East African Community nationals residing in the country. Officials say the process is intended to give those without proper documentation an opportunity to formalise their status and establish their legal position in Kenya.

The Kenyan government has clarified President William Ruto's directive targeting foreigners engaged in small-scale businesses. Government spokesperson Charles Owino said on September 7 that the measures aim to regulate informal trade and protect local livelihoods, not to ban East African nationals from the country. According to the government, the core intent is to protect vulnerable sectors of the economy rather than exclude foreign traders entirely.

Kenyan President William Ruto has granted foreign nationals running businesses in the country, including Burundians, a 90-day window to regularise their immigration status and business operations. According to The Kenya Times, the directive is part of a government effort to tighten enforcement of rules governing small-scale trade. The move follows complaints from Kenyan traders about the increasing involvement of foreigners in small-scale businesses and the informal trade sector.

The Kenyan government has clarified recent directives affecting foreign workers engaged in small-scale trade, assuring that the measures are intended to facilitate their stay as immigrants. According to the Kenya News Agency, Government Spokesperson Charles Owino said the directives, issued by President William Ruto on September 2, 2026, are aimed at regulating small-scale retail and informal trade rather than targeting immigrants unfairly. The clarification follows public attention to the presidential directive and its implications for foreign traders operating in the country's informal sector.

Kenya's government has moved to crack down on foreigners operating small-scale businesses without the required documentation, drawing renewed attention to the country's business environment. According to Business Today, the development links immigration and investment, two areas often discussed separately, with the government's clarification centred on the distinction between entering Kenya and being permitted to conduct business there. The report examines what the enforcement drive could mean for businesses and investors operating in the country.

Hundreds of Burundians queued outside their embassy in Nairobi on Monday seeking travel documents to return home, following President William Ruto's order for a crackdown on small-scale foreign traders in Kenya. According to Khusoko, most of those in line were young men, some carrying suitcases or a single bag of belongings. The development signals rising pressure on foreign traders operating in the country and prompted many Burundian nationals to prepare for departure.