// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Kenya minister warns foreigners against 'misusing' visas to trade
Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui says foreign nationals must comply with the law
Kenya's trade ministry has warned foreign nationals that visa-free entry into the country does not grant them the right to work, as the government vows to shut down unlicensed small businesses run by migrants.
President William Ruto had set today as the deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to cease work.
Hundreds of people have gathered at Burundi's embassy in Kenya as they rushed to get documents, after the embassy had earlier said it would offer emergency free travel documents to citizens who want to go back home.
It is unclear how many foreign nationals are involved in small-scale trading or how many would be affected by the crackdown.
In a statement, the trade ministry said there was a "deliberate misuse of visa applications by some visitors", adding that some entered Kenya as investors or tourists but then got involved in business activities in breach of their declared status.
"Owing to the high number of foreigners involved in the retail and local trade sectors, there is therefore a need to align their activities and ensure compliance with work permit provisions," Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui said.
Last week, Ruto said that Kenya remained open to foreign investment, but it could not be "that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop".
He argued that investors should create jobs and expand production rather than compete with Kenyans in small businesses.
Ruto's comments sparked mixed reactions, with some critics describing them as a populist move that risked stoking xenophobia. Government officials deny the allegation.