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President William Ruto of Kenya has directed authorities to close small businesses operated by foreign nationals starting September 7.
Ruto argued that hawking and retail trade should remain the preserve of Kenyan citizens.
He made the announcement on Wednesday during a meeting with micro, small and medium enterprise traders at State House in Nairobi.
“From next week, all traders doing those small businesses should close them,” Ruto said.
He said foreign investment was welcome in Kenya but that foreigners should not be allowed to compete with citizens in ventures requiring minimal capital.
Ruto said the government was pushing ahead with legislation to define which economic activities should be prioritised for Kenyan citizens.
“We have a bill in Parliament on trade. In that bill, Local Content Bill, 2025, we have proposed that there should be businesses that foreigners should not do here in Kenya, by law,” he said.
The Local Content Bill, 2025, currently before Parliament, proposes that foreign companies employ Kenyans for at least 80 percent of their workforce and source at least 60 percent of specified goods and services locally.
“It cannot be that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop,” Ruto said.
The president directed National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui to fast-track the legislation.
Ruto said the government had worked to improve the economy but insisted that foreign nationals should not operate in the informal sector.
“We have made efforts to improve the economy, we have not improved investor confidence for hawkers to come to Kenya,” he added.
