Kenya offers temporary amnesty after Burundians rush to embassy in Nairobi
Kenya has announced a temporary amnesty for undocumented East African migrants after hundreds of Burundians gathered at their embassy in Nairobi seeking travel documents to return home. The move came after President William Ruto's government ordered authorities to close small businesses run by foreigners without work permits, a directive that took effect on Monday. The policy has triggered concern among migrant communities in the capital and prompted a formal response from the Kenyan government.
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According to the supplied report, the government spokesman urged undocumented nationals from other East African countries to register at their embassies. The statement said that during the designated registration period, people undergoing registration would be presumed legally present in Kenya. It also said the window was intended to help people access health, banking and legal protections without fear.
The immediate pressure was most visible outside the Burundi embassy, where crowds queued from the morning for papers that would allow them to travel home. Some Burundians said they had been threatened by neighbours after Ruto's remarks, while others reported harassment and violence. One pastor, Jean-Baptiste Ndayizeye, said his neighbours had been attacked and robbed, and described the treatment as being expelled like animals.
The episode matters because it touches on migration, work permits and the treatment of foreign traders in a country that has long drawn migrants from the East African Community. That regional bloc allows freedom of movement for citizens of its eight member states, including Burundi. The report says about 16,000 Burundian migrants and refugees live in Kenya, many of them operating small street businesses, which makes the closure order potentially significant for livelihoods and local commerce.
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The government also instructed security agencies and local authorities not to subject foreign nationals to arbitrary harassment or discrimination. It warned that anyone seeking to exploit the directive to fuel xenophobic sentiment or mistreat neighbours would face the full force of the law. Later on Monday, Kenya's junior foreign minister Korir Sing'Oei visited the embassy, indicating that the issue had moved quickly from a domestic trade order to a diplomatic concern.
What remains unclear is how many people will register under the amnesty, how strictly the business closure order will be enforced, and whether the measure will affect other foreign traders beyond those from Burundi. It is also not yet clear how long the registration window will remain open or what follow-up steps the government will take. The situation is likely to be watched closely by migrant communities, regional officials and business owners across Nairobi.
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