Kenya: Ruto's Remarks On Foreign Traders Were 'Taken Out of Context'

What the report says

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei has moved to calm concerns over President William Ruto’s recent comments on foreign traders, saying the remarks were being read out of context. Speaking in Nairobi, Sing’Oei said Ruto was addressing an active debate in Parliament over the Local Content Bill, which could reserve some businesses for Kenyan citizens, rather than announcing a blanket ban on foreigners doing business in the country.

According to the report distributed by AllAfrica from Capital FM, Sing’Oei stressed that foreign nationals who are in Kenya legally and hold the required permits and licences remain protected. He also said East Africans and other Africans may live and work in Kenya so long as they comply with local law. His comments were meant to reassure traders and workers after Ruto said some businesses should be off limits to foreigners and urged lawmakers to close loopholes in the proposed bill.

The president’s remarks focused attention on the role of foreign nationals in Kenya’s informal and retail sectors, where local traders have long complained about competition in areas such as small shops, hawking and vending. The article also noted that the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry has repeatedly said visa-free entry does not automatically grant the right to work or trade, and that business activity still requires the proper immigration and regulatory approvals.