Kenya Warns Foreign Nationals Against Illegal Trading, Sets Deadline For Unlicensed Businesses | Sahara Reporters
The ministry said some visitors had entered Kenya as tourists or investors but later engaged in business activities that violated the conditions of their declared status.
Kenyan authorities have warned foreign nationals operating small businesses in the country without the required permits to stop working as the government moves to enforce a crackdown on unlicensed foreign-owned enterprises.
According to BBC report, Kenya’s Trade Ministry said visa-free entry into the country does not give foreigners the right to work or operate businesses.
The ministry said some visitors had entered Kenya as tourists or investors but later engaged in business activities that violated the conditions of their declared status.
The warning comes as President William Ruto’s government enforces a deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to stop their activities.
The government has not disclosed how many foreign nationals would be affected by the directive or how many businesses could be targeted.
According to the Trade Ministry, there has been a “deliberate misuse of visa applications by some visitors” who enter the country under one status but engage in commercial activities that require proper authorisation.
The government’s move has also raised concerns among foreign communities in Kenya, particularly Burundian nationals.
The Burundian embassy in Kenya said it would provide emergency travel documents free of charge to citizens who choose to return home amid reports of mistreatment.
Kenya allows visa-free entry to citizens of several countries, but the government maintains that entry into the country does not automatically grant permission to work or establish a business.
Foreign nationals are required to comply with Kenya’s immigration and business regulations when engaging in commercial activities.
The crackdown is part of the government’s wider effort to regulate foreign participation in Kenya’s small-business sector and ensure that foreigners operating businesses have the appropriate legal status and permits.
Kenyan authorities are expected to continue enforcement against foreigners found operating businesses without the required approvals, while affected nationals face the possibility of leaving the country or regularising their status where permitted.