The Kenyan government has directed undocumented East African Community nationals living in the country, particularly Burundians, to register with their respective diplomatic missions as it moves to regularize their status amid controversy over new foreign worker and small-scale trade rules.
In a statement issued on Monday, September 7, the Office of the Government Spokesperson said a formal documentation and registration window would be established for affected East African nationals.
The government said those undergoing registration would be presumed to be legally present in Kenya for the duration of the exercise, shielding them from arbitrary enforcement action while their documentation is processed.
“We call upon all undocumented East African Community nationals, and specifically Burundian citizens currently residing in Kenya, to immediately present themselves to their respective High Commissions or Embassies for formal identity registration,” the statement said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will work with the Embassy of Burundi and other regional partners to manage the exercise and regularize affected cases.
According to the government, some East African nationals have been living and working in Kenya without full documentation due to historical circumstances and regional migration patterns.
It said the lack of documentation had in some cases exposed migrants to exploitation, difficulties accessing healthcare and harassment by law enforcement officers.
During the registration period, those participating in the process will be treated as legally present in the country.
“This window is designed to bring our brothers and sisters out of the shadows, ensuring they can access health, banking, and legal protections without fear,” the government said.
The clarification follows directives issued by President William Ruto on September 2 seeking to regulate foreign participation in small-scale retail and informal trade.
The government said the measures are intended to protect vulnerable sectors of Kenya’s economy, safeguard local livelihoods and strengthen the integrity of national identification systems.
It linked the measures to the proposed Local Content Bill, 2025, saying the policy seeks to balance what it described as economic patriotism with structured trade.
However, the government rejected suggestions that the directives amount to a blanket restriction on foreigners or are specifically aimed at nationals from neighbouring East African states.
“The Government of Kenya categorically rejects these mischaracterizations,” the statement said.
It added that Kenya remained committed to the EAC Common Market Protocol and regional integration.
“We view our East African neighbors not as foreigners, but as brothers and sisters of our shared Jumuiya. Our history, culture, and destiny are deeply intertwined,” the government said.
At the same time, security agencies, local authorities and businesses were warned against using the new directives to harass or discriminate against foreign nationals.
“No foreign national, documented or currently undergoing registration, is to be subjected to arbitrary harassment or discrimination,” the statement said.
The government warned that anyone seeking to exploit the directives to fuel xenophobia or mistreat East African nationals would “face the full force of the law.”
It said migrant safety monitoring in urban centres would also be strengthened in partnership with civil society and humanitarian organizations.
The government maintained that the registration exercise would be carried out in consultation with regional partners, insisting that Kenya remained committed to regional cooperation while enforcing its domestic immigration and trade rules.
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