- Traders back Ruto’s foreign hawkers directive.
- Experts warn of diplomatic backlash.
- Parliament’s decision will shape the crackdown.
Nairobi traders have endorsed President William Ruto’s call for a crackdown on foreign nationals operating small-scale businesses, even as diplomatic experts warn of a possible backlash from neighbouring countries.
Traders’ umbrella bodies in Nairobi have thrown their weight behind the directive, which targets foreigners engaged in hawking, retail and other petty trade across Kenya. The endorsement comes just days after these same traders staged street protests over the rising cost of doing business.
From tax relief to a new demand
Those protests yielded concessions on taxation, easing one of the traders’ biggest grievances. However, a subsequent State House meeting surfaced another long-standing concern: the growing presence of foreign nationals in small-scale trade.
During that meeting, Ruto directed that foreign hawkers and small business operators close shop from Monday. The directive is not yet law, since the underlying Bill still requires parliamentary approval before it can be enacted. This raises questions over how the measure will be enforced administratively ahead of any formal legislation.
READ ALSO:
Kenya’s jobs deficit is a warning Kenya can’t afford to ignore
Analysts caution that the move could unsettle Kenya’s diplomatic relations. Many Kenyans run small businesses in other countries, and a heavy-handed crackdown at home could invite retaliation abroad.
Foreign affairs expert Edgar Geduar weighed in on the underlying tension driving the directive. According to him, the concern is not that foreign investors or workers are unwelcome in Kenya, but that some undercut local traders and distort prevailing market prices.
Geduar further argued that the government needs a balanced approach rather than a blanket crackdown. He warned that sweeping measures could unfairly affect foreign nationals who are legally documented and already contributing meaningfully to the economy. Such a calibrated approach, he added, would ultimately serve Kenya’s own interests.
For now, the directive remains an administrative order rather than binding law. Its fate will depend on how quickly Parliament moves on the pending Bill, and how the government balances local trader interests against Kenya’s wider diplomatic and regional trade obligations.
By Benedict Aoya
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
