Kenya: Burundi offers free travel documents as foreign trader crackdown deepens

The Embassy of Burundi in Kenya has announced that it will issue free laissez-passer travel documents to Burundian nationals who wish to return home, following growing uncertainty among foreign small-scale traders affected by a new Kenyan government crackdown.

The embassy said the issuance of the travel documents would begin on Monday, September 7, at its offices in Nairobi.

The announcement came days after Kenyan President William Ruto directed authorities to enforce restrictions on foreigners engaged in small-scale businesses, including street vending and small retail activities.

Ruto made the announcement on September 2 during a meeting with small-scale traders in Nairobi, arguing that some businesses should be reserved for Kenyan citizens.

He said foreigners should not come to Kenya to engage in low-capital activities such as hawking goods or running small shops.

The directive triggered concern among foreign traders, particularly Burundians, many of whom earn their livelihoods through informal trade in Kenya.

On Monday, hundreds of Burundian nationals gathered outside their embassy in Nairobi, with some carrying luggage and personal belongings as they sought travel documents.

Reuters reported that some said they were preparing to return home because they felt they had been forced to leave.

The Burundi embassy said the laissez-passer would be issued free of charge to nationals wishing to travel to Burundi.

According to the embassy’s official information, the document is a valid travel document for Burundian citizens travelling within East African Community countries and is normally valid for one year. Ambassade du Burundi à Nairobi

Ambassador Evelyne Habonimana said the service would operate from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nairobi time.

Applicants are required to provide relevant identification and residence documents when applying.

The embassy’s announcement has come amid growing anxiety among Burundians living and working in Kenya.

Local reports said some traders had experienced harassment and feared losing their businesses following the government’s directive.

Hundreds subsequently rushed to the embassy and nearby cybercafés to process documentation.

However, Kenyan officials have sought to clarify that the government is not ordering all foreigners to leave the country.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said foreigners with valid work permits, licences and other required documentation remain legally protected.

The government has also said the enforcement is aimed at ensuring compliance with immigration and business regulations. Pulse Kenya

Kenya has also announced a temporary amnesty aimed at helping undocumented East African nationals regularise their status, according to Reuters.

The move is intended to reduce the risk of harassment and give affected foreigners an opportunity to enter the legal framework.

The developments have nevertheless raised concerns about relations between Kenya and Burundi and the wider implications for the East African Community’s free movement arrangements.

For many Burundians, the immediate priority is securing valid documentation and deciding whether to remain in Kenya under the new regulations or return home.

The scenes outside the Burundi embassy have underscored the uncertainty created by the crackdown, with some traders saying they have spent years building businesses and livelihoods in Kenya.