Opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka has accused President William Ruto’s administration of using a chaotic crackdown on foreign traders to project power and divert public attention from its failures, warning that the operation risks damaging businesses, regional relations and Kenya’s economy.
Kalonzo said the sight of hundreds of small-scale traders scrambling for emergency travel documents outside the Burundian Embassy in Nairobi ahead of a government deadline was evidence of an enforcement exercise being implemented without adequate planning or strategy.
He argued that protecting Kenyan businesses requires deliberate policies that address corruption, unpredictable taxation and tariffs, and the wider uncertainty facing entrepreneurs—not simply targeting foreign traders.
“Diplomacy, dialogue, and respect for the rule of law must take centre stage,” Kalonzo said, warning that a heavy-handed approach could deepen tensions between communities and neighbouring countries at a time when Kenya is heading towards the 2027 General Election.
The opposition leader also demanded full transparency in the processing of affected foreign nationals, including documentation and any changes to their immigration status, saying safeguards were necessary to prevent the exercise from being exploited for purposes unrelated to trade or border management.
Kalonzo further accused the Ruto administration of manufacturing crises to distract Kenyans from what he described as corruption, punitive taxation and an economy struggling under poor governance.
He maintained that the government’s focus should be on creating a predictable business environment in which Kenyan and foreign entrepreneurs can operate legally, rather than relying on crackdowns that risk disrupting economic activity.
