Kalonzo Warns of Diplomatic Crises as Burundians Flood Embassy in Nairobi

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has condemned the government over a declaration of a crackdown on foreigners running small-scale businesses in the country, which led to the targeting of Burundian nationals.

In a statement issued on Monday, September 7, Kalonzo said the announcement has left Burundians scrambling for safety at their Embassy in Nairobi, which negatively affects Kenya's diplomatic relations with its neighbours.

"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 stated.

The Wiper Leader opined that the crackdown on foreigners was not the most efficient way of addressing the issues facing small Kenyan businesses, but retrogressive.

He added that the only solution was to remove the bottlenecks that undermine a favourable business environment in the country.

"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 stated.

The former Vice President called for 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.

His sentiment comes after several Burundian nationals made their way to the Burundi Embassy to regularise their travel documents. Security was beefed up outside the Embassy, with several officers patrolling the vicinity.

Earlier, the government clarified the rules governing foreign nationals who enter the country under the visa-free regime.

Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui said the visa-free entry policy has had a positive impact on tourism and investment, but raised concerns over the misuse of visa applications by some foreign nationals engaging in activities outside the conditions of their entry status.

Kinyanjui explained that some visitors have been deliberately misusing visa applications by entering Kenya as tourists or investors before engaging in activities that are not permitted under those statuses. 

It noted that the high number of foreigners involved in retail and local trade has created a need to ensure that such activities comply with work permit requirements.