Some Ugandan traders return home after President Ruto’s threat

What the report says

Ugandan traders working in Kenya have begun returning home after the Kenyan government moved to bar foreign nationals from some small-scale businesses. According to The Independent Uganda, President William Ruto announced the restriction on September 2, 2026, and Kenyan authorities started enforcing it on September 7. The policy targets activities such as hawking and small retail trade, prompting many foreigners to leave Nairobi and other parts of Kenya.

Reporters at the Busia One Stop Border Post found Ugandans and other foreign nationals crossing back into Uganda, including people who said they had travelled from Nairobi and arrived at the border the previous night. One trader, identified as Nicolas Opio, said conditions had worsened after the directive and that some foreign traders had been harassed and had businesses destroyed. A Rwandan trader, Jayish Miriman, said he lost both his business and merchandise during the unrest.

Busia District LC V Chairperson John Charles Namayindi said more than 2,000 Ugandans had crossed back since Sunday. He argued the move runs against East African Community principles on free movement and trade. Bukholi Island MP Peter Okeyoh also said officials in eastern Uganda were monitoring the situation because of the impact on citizens who had gone to Kenya to earn a living. The development highlights tensions between local business protections and regional integration in East Africa.