Kenya: Mudavadi Warns Against Targeting Foreign Nationals, Assures Compliant Traders of Kenya's Openness

What the report says

Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the government will act against anyone who threatens or interferes with foreign nationals, while also insisting that the country remains open to foreign traders and investors who follow local rules. The comments were reported by Capital FM and distributed by AllAfrica, with the remarks made in Nairobi on 10 September 2026.

Mudavadi pushed back against any reading that Kenya is imposing a blanket ban on foreign nationals. Instead, he said the state is enforcing existing immigration, licensing and trade laws, and that legitimate businesses should be able to operate without intimidation or unlawful interference. He framed this as a question of compliance rather than nationality, saying anyone doing business in Kenya must observe the country’s legal and regulatory requirements.

He also linked Kenya’s position to the East African Community Common Market Protocol, which supports movement of people, goods, services, labour and capital among partner states. Mudavadi said citizens of EAC countries should respect the laws of the countries where they work or trade, just as Kenyans are expected to do abroad. The remarks come amid broader debate over the role of foreign nationals in Kenya’s commercial sector and underline the government’s attempt to balance domestic enforcement with regional trade commitments.