NAIROBI, Kenya — Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has accused President William Ruto’s administration of “manufacturing crises” following the government’s crackdown on foreign nationals engaged in hawking and small-scale trade in Kenya.
Kalonzo said the implementation of the directive demonstrated what he described as a lack of strategy and warned that the approach could deepen tensions between Kenya, neighbouring countries and communities affected by the measures.
“Crackdown without strategy is not governance,” Kalonzo said in a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, September 7, 2026.
His remarks came as foreign traders, particularly Burundian nationals, sought to process travel and other documentation amid the government’s directive targeting foreign nationals engaged in certain small-scale businesses.
Kalonzo questions handling of crackdown
Kalonzo criticised the manner in which the government was implementing Ruto’s directive, pointing to scenes at the Burundian Embassy in Nairobi as evidence of what he described as inadequate planning.
“Hundreds of small-scale traders scrambling for emergency travel documents outside the Burundian Embassy in Nairobi this week, ahead of a government deadline, tell you everything about how this crackdown has been handled,” he said.
The Wiper leader argued that the government could have adopted a more deliberate approach that protects Kenyan entrepreneurs while allowing foreign nationals who meet legal requirements to continue operating.
“There are better, more deliberate ways to protect Kenyan small businesses and create an environment where entrepreneurs, Kenyan and foreign alike, can thrive within the law,” Kalonzo said.
His comments followed reports of Burundian nationals visiting their embassy and cyber cafés in Nairobi to process or update documentation.
The Burundian Embassy has, however, described the issuance of travel documentation as a routine consular service rather than evidence of a mass departure triggered by the government’s directive.
Ruto orders action against foreign hawkers
President Ruto issued the directive on September 2, 2026, after meeting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) traders at State House in Nairobi.
The President said the government would take measures to protect Kenyan traders from what he described as unfair competition from foreign nationals operating small businesses.
Administrative measures targeting foreign hawkers were scheduled to begin on Monday, September 7.
The issue has also entered the legislative arena, with Parliament considering proposals seeking to restrict foreign nationals from engaging in certain categories of trade.
The government has maintained that its focus is on enforcing existing rules and protecting opportunities for Kenyan traders rather than targeting foreign nationals who are legally documented.
‘Foreign traders are not the real threat’
Kalonzo rejected the government’s emphasis on foreign traders, arguing that Kenyan small businesses face deeper challenges that require greater attention.
“The real threats facing our small traders are corruption, an unpredictable working environment including this regime’s erratic tariffs and taxation policies, and the pre-election tensions being deliberately stoked by the outgoing regime, not the presence of foreign traders alone,” he said.
The former Vice President said the government should instead focus on creating a predictable business environment in which Kenyan and foreign entrepreneurs can operate within clearly defined legal boundaries.
His argument shifts the debate from the nationality of small-scale traders to broader issues affecting businesses, including taxation, corruption and regulatory uncertainty.
Call for diplomacy and dialogue
Kalonzo also warned that the crackdown could have consequences for Kenya’s relations with neighbouring countries if it is not handled carefully.
“Diplomacy, dialogue, and respect for the rule of law must take centre stage, not just because we are approaching the 2027 General Election, but because that is how a government that respects the law conducts itself every day,” he said.
He argued that Kenya’s economic and diplomatic relationships with other East African countries should be taken into account when implementing immigration and trade measures.
The issue is particularly sensitive because many foreign nationals operating businesses in Kenya come from other East African Community countries, where regional integration has facilitated cross-border movement, trade and employment subject to applicable laws and regulations.
Warning over regional tensions
Kalonzo said an aggressive or poorly coordinated enforcement operation could affect communities and economic activity beyond the immediate targets of the crackdown.
“A lack of diplomacy risks deepening divisions between communities, regions, and nations and destabilising economic activity at a time when Kenya can least afford it,” he said.
His warning comes amid heightened attention to the treatment of foreign traders, including Burundian nationals who have recently been seen seeking documentation in Nairobi.
Kalonzo said the government should also provide transparency regarding how affected foreign nationals are processed and whether their immigration status or documentation is changed.
“We must also insist on full transparency in how affected foreign nationals are processed going forward, including any documentation or status changes issued to them, so that this exercise is not later exploited for purposes that have nothing to do with trade or border management,” he said.
Kalonzo accuses Ruto of ‘projecting power’
The Wiper leader went further by questioning the government’s stated justification for the crackdown.
“Let us also be honest: this crackdown is not about protecting Kenyan businesses,” Kalonzo said.
He accused the administration of “projecting power where competence is clearly lacking” and alleged that the government was manufacturing crises to divert public attention from what he described as failures in governance and the economy.
“Corruption, punitive taxation, and an economy gasping for breath because of Ruto are the real threats to Kenyan livelihoods and further evidence that this regime is unfit to lead,” he said.
The claims are part of Kalonzo’s broader political criticism of the Ruto administration and come as political parties and leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Government faces balancing act
The controversy places the government between two competing concerns: protecting Kenyan traders from unfair competition while ensuring that foreign nationals who comply with immigration, labour and business regulations are not subjected to indiscriminate enforcement.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei has previously sought to clarify the government’s position, saying foreign traders and employees with the necessary documentation remain legally protected to operate in Kenya.
The government has therefore drawn a distinction between foreign nationals who comply with Kenyan laws and those operating without the required permits or licences.
Kalonzo’s criticism, however, is that enforcement should be preceded by adequate verification and coordination to prevent legally documented foreign nationals from being caught up in a broad crackdown.
