Burundians flocked the Burundi embassy in Kilimani on Monday.
The Kenyan Embassy in Burundi has moved to address growing concerns surrounding President William Ruto’s directive on businesses operated by foreigners, assuring Kenyans living in Burundi that relations between Nairobi and Bujumbura remain cordial.
In a statement issued from Bujumbura, the embassy acknowledged receiving questions and concerns from Kenyans following Ruto’s recent remarks in Nairobi on the conduct of business by foreign nationals living in Kenya.
The mission said the President’s remarks were made in reference to the Local Content Bill 2025, which is currently before Parliament and seeks to transform trade and investment in Kenya.
The embassy further pointed to a clarification issued on September 6 by Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, saying the minister had provided additional context regarding the President’s statement.
According to the embassy, the presidential remarks have generated different reactions and counter-reactions, including what it described as negative messaging arising from the statement being taken out of context.
The clarification comes as Kenya faces heightened attention over the implementation of the directive, with hundreds of Burundian nationals in Nairobi seeking documentation amid uncertainty over foreign traders operating small businesses.
Long queues were reported at the Burundian Embassy in Nairobi on Monday, September 7, with some nationals seeking travel documents as others prepared for a possible return to Burundi.
Kenyan authorities have since maintained that the measures are not a blanket directive requiring foreigners to leave the country. The government has said foreigners with the necessary documentation, work permits and licences remain legally allowed to conduct business and work in Kenya.
Against that backdrop, the Kenyan Embassy in Burundi said the governments of Kenya and Burundi are working together to correct misconceptions arising from the developments.
The mission also sought to reassure Kenyans living in Burundi that bilateral relations remain cordial.
At the same time, Ambassador H.E. Wambuma urged Kenyans in Burundi to fully comply with the legal and administrative requirements issued by the host country.
The embassy's statement seeks to calm concerns among Kenyans in Burundi while reinforcing the importance of observing local laws as the two East African Community members navigate the fallout from Kenya’s new foreign-trader enforcement measures.