Kenya's Crackdown on Foreign Traders Sparks Mass Exodus

The authorities have struggled to contain the fallout from Kenya's crackdown on foreign traders, with frightened migrants fleeing the country. For Ndaikech Ali, who has been traversing the streets of the Kenyan capital, eking out a living as a tuk-tuk driver for the past nine years, Nairobi's traffic - not xenophobia - has been his biggest concern. However, the president's recent order to crack down on foreigners working as traders or operating small-scale businesses has turned the tables on him. President William Ruto made his remarks last week when addressing Kenyan traders gathered at state house, in reference to legislation before parliament that seeks to exclude foreign nationals from petty trade and to mandate the local sourcing of certain materials. The announcement was seen as a signal that foreign nationals were no longer welcome in the country, prompting Ali and others to panic. 'Now they have turned against us,' he told the BBC at the Burundian embassy in Nairobi, where many have been queuing this week for documents to allow them to travel back home. 'The threats are many… even from children,' he added. 'It's like a dog has been set loose upon us. We have been bitten.' The president's directive was issued on September 3, and Ali, like others, was forced to stop working, saying 'we face harassment and can't work.' The sudden loss of income has left him and others without a means to pay rent and buy food. When those jobs are taken away, the only option left is to return home. Other Burundians and some other foreign nationals have rushed to border crossing points to leave the country, with reports suggesting that a number have ended up stranded there. Some couples fear they will be forced to separate, and some families have already been divided. For example, a Burundian man, who identified himself only as Prosper, has a child with a Kenyan woman and fears being forced to leave his family behind. 'I have been here from 2019,' he said. 'When I heard the announcement, it was very painful because when I go, I'm forced to leave my family... and I love my family.' In Nairobi's low-income neighbourhood of Majengo, Kenyan Grace Wamaitha is left to deal with the consequences, having taken on extra work washing clothes to support her family after her Burundian husband left the day after the president's directive. She is distraught, as the daily struggle to feed her five children weighs heavily on her. The situation has highlighted the fragility of Kenya's economy, which relies heavily on foreign nationals to fill low-skilled jobs. The government's efforts to promote local sourcing have been met with resistance from businesses that rely on foreign workers. The impact of the crackdown on the economy is still being assessed, but one thing is clear: the lives of countless foreign nationals, including Burundians, are hanging in the balance.