Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has criticised President William Ruto’s administration over its ongoing crackdown on foreign nationals engaged in small-scale trading and hawking in Kenya, describing the operation as a “manufactured crisis” lacking strategy and effective governance.
In a statement released on Monday, the former Vice President accused the government of using the enforcement drive to project power rather than address the underlying economic challenges facing local business owners.
Kalonzo warned that what he termed a “crackdown without strategy” could trigger diplomatic fallout and heighten tensions between Kenya and neighboring East African countries.
He said the rushed implementation of the policy had caused widespread panic among affected foreign traders, particularly Burundians, who were forced to seek emergency travel processing outside their embassies.
According to Kalonzo, foreign traders are not the main threat facing Kenya’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He instead cited systemic corruption, punitive taxation, unpredictable government policies and the high cost of doing business as the key factors undermining local hawkers and retailers.
The Wiper leader called for immediate transparency on how immigration authorities are processing the affected foreign nationals.
He urged President Ruto to abandon what he described as aggressive administrative raids and instead pursue structured regional dialogue, adherence to the rule of law and fair trade processes.
Kalonzo’s criticism follows President Ruto’s directive instructing trade and immigration officials to prevent foreign nationals from engaging in small-scale retail and hawking, with the government saying the livelihoods should be reserved for Kenyan citizens.
The directive has placed the government’s approach to foreign traders under renewed scrutiny, particularly amid concerns over its potential economic and diplomatic implications within the East African region.
