Ruto's Government Makes U-Turn, Gives Foreign Traders 90 Days to Fix Their Legal Status - September 2026

President William Ruto's administration has granted foreign traders a 90-day window to regularize their legal status in Kenya, representing a significant policy shift. The number of Burundian citizens flocking to their embassy in Nairobi continues to rise, with many spending the night as they await travel documents to return home. At the same time, a group of Burundian nationals has found refuge at a church in Likoni, Mombasa, after allegedly facing threats of eviction from locals. Critics have argued that the crackdown on foreigners is a tactic of scapegoating with significant negative economic consequences.