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Kenya’s government has clarified that its visa-free entry policy does not automatically give foreigners the right to work or operate businesses in the country, following a crackdown on foreign nationals engaging in small-scale trade without proper documentation.
Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui said in a statement on Sunday that the government had identified “deliberate misuse of visa applications” by some visitors who enter Kenya under investor or tourist status but engage in activities outside the terms of their visas.
“Persons found in contravention of the applicable visa provisions will have their visas revoked in accordance with the law,” Kinyanjui said.
“Visa-free entry or exemption from eTA requirements does not in itself confer the right to engage in employment, trade or business in Kenya,” he added.
The clarification follows President William Ruto’s directive to shut down small businesses operated by foreign nationals from Monday, September 7, arguing that hawking and small-scale retail should be reserved for Kenyans.
Speaking to micro, small and medium enterprise traders at State House in Nairobi on Wednesday, Ruto said foreign nationals should not compete with citizens in businesses requiring little capital.
“From next week, all traders doing those small businesses should close them,” Ruto said.
“It cannot be that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop.”
Kenya introduced visa-free entry for visitors from across the world on January 1, 2024, and later removed Electronic Travel Authorisation requirements for citizens of most African countries in January 2025.
Kinyanjui said the measures had had a positive impact on tourism and investment, and the government remains committed to implementing the policy.
However, he cautioned that easier entry should not be mistaken for permission to work or conduct business without proper permits.
Kinyanjui noted that Kenya is a signatory to the East African Community and has committed to the free movement of goods and people across the Customs Union, adding that these commitments remain an important consideration in implementing immigration rules affecting EAC citizens.
Kenya remains open and welcoming to legitimate investors and businesses that operate within the law and contribute to economic growth, job creation and development, he said.
