Mukula warns of xenophobia as Kenya crackdown puts foreign traders under pressure

What the report says

Businessman Mike Mukula has urged East African Community leaders to step in over Kenya’s recent crackdown on foreign traders, warning that the enforcement drive could deepen xenophobia and strain regional integration. According to Nile Post, Mukula said the treatment of some East African nationals in parts of urban Kenya was becoming a concern as authorities stepped up action against non-citizens involved in small-scale trade, hawking and other informal business activities.

The Kenyan government has said the measures are meant to protect local micro-traders and ensure that foreigners comply with immigration and work rules. Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said some visitors were using tourist or investor status to carry out business or work outside the terms of their entry, and stressed that visa-free access does not automatically grant the right to trade or run a business.

Nile Post reported that the tougher enforcement has put traders and migrants from several countries under scrutiny, including Chinese retail traders and people from Somalia, Ethiopia, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Nairobi, some Burundian nationals were seen seeking documents at their embassy, reflecting concerns that some foreigners may leave the country because of the changed environment.

Mukula said the EAC’s goal of free movement of people, goods, services and capital should be protected, and called for dialogue through regional mechanisms rather than collective punishment. The broader issue highlights a recurring regional challenge: balancing local business protection and immigration enforcement with East Africa’s integration agenda.