Kenya Clarifies Requirements for Foreigners Working and Doing Business Amid Crackdown
Kenya has clarified the requirements for foreign nationals seeking to work, trade or operate businesses in the country as authorities begin enforcing a government crackdown on foreigners engaged in small-scale retail and hawking.
Trade and Investments Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said visa-free entry into Kenya, or exemption from the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), does not automatically give foreign nationals the right to work, trade or operate a business in the country.
Kinyanjui said the government would target foreigners who entered Kenya as tourists or visitors but subsequently began engaging in commercial activities without the required documentation.
Foreign nationals who wish to work or operate businesses must comply with Kenya’s immigration and work-permit requirements. Those found violating applicable visa conditions could have their visas revoked and face further action under Kenyan law.
The clarification comes days after President William Ruto ordered a crackdown on foreign nationals operating small businesses such as hawking and small retail shops. The enforcement began on September 7, with the government arguing that such activities should provide opportunities for Kenyan traders.
Ruto has stressed that Kenya remains open to foreign investment, particularly investments that bring capital, create jobs and expand production, but said foreigners should not compete with Kenyans in low-capital businesses such as street vending and small-scale retail.
The government is also backing the Local Content Bill, 2025, which seeks to increase local participation in economic activities.
The crackdown has raised concerns among foreign communities, particularly nationals from other African countries who live and work in Kenya. However, the government has not said that all foreign-owned businesses are being shut down.
Kenya’s existing immigration framework allows foreigners to operate businesses if they obtain the appropriate permits. For example, the Class G permit covers foreigners intending to engage in a specific trade, business, consultancy or profession, subject to prescribed requirements.
The latest measures therefore centre on distinguishing between foreigners operating legally with appropriate permits and those engaging in commercial activities without the required authorisation.
The government says the objective is to protect Kenyan entrepreneurs while continuing to attract foreign investment that contributes significantly to the country’s economy.
