BY GRAN CHICO
SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
At the gates of the Embassy of Burundi along Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighbourhood, suitcases and bundles of belongings have become a striking symbol of uncertainty.
Plastic-wrapped mattresses, backpacks and personal belongings line the sidewalks as exhausted men, women and families wait in long queues that begin forming before dawn. Some have spent nights outdoors, struggling with limited food and little rest as they seek documentation that could determine whether they remain in Kenya or return to Burundi.
Many of those arriving at the embassy are Burundians who have lived and worked in Kenya for years, particularly in small-scale trading. They have built livelihoods selling roasted peanuts, second-hand clothes, coffee and other goods within Nairobi’s informal economy.
The sudden uncertainty followed President William Ruto’s directive for authorities to crack down on foreigners operating unlicensed small businesses and engaging in hawking, with the government maintaining that such opportunities should be reserved for Kenyans.
The directive, which was linked to concerns over visa misuse and unregulated trade, triggered anxiety among nationals from other East African Community countries.
For many Burundians, the uncertainty quickly became a question of survival.
Reports of harassment, threats and isolation emerged, prompting some traders to close their businesses and remain indoors. In Likoni, Mombasa, groups of Burundians reportedly sought temporary shelter in a church following alleged threats of eviction.
As fears spread, hundreds—and according to some accounts, thousands—made their way to the Burundian embassy carrying whatever belongings they could manage, hoping either to regularise their stay or prepare for a return to Bujumbura.
The embassy responded by issuing free Laisser-Passer emergency travel documents valid for one year and usable across East African Community member states.
Applicants generally require passport-sized photographs, national identification documents and other relevant paperwork. However, limited operating hours and delays in same-day collection have forced many applicants to wait for hours or return another day.
The area surrounding the embassy has also become increasingly busy, with nearby cyber cafés filling with people processing applications and making photocopies, while police officers have been deployed to manage the crowds.
For some, the decision appears already made.
They say they no longer feel welcome in Kenya and simply want to return home. Others, however, are asking for more time to close their businesses, settle debts or raise enough money to finance their journey.
The Kenyan government has moved to ease the tension.
Government Spokesperson Charles Owino announced a formal Documentation and Registration Window targeting undocumented East African nationals, particularly Burundians, and urged those affected to present themselves at their respective embassies.
Those who register during the process would be presumed to be legally present while their documentation is being addressed. The registration window was later extended to 90 days.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei also visited the Burundian embassy, where he apologised for harassment that followed what he described as a misunderstanding of the President’s directive.
Sing’oei assured those gathered that the government would strengthen security and support both those seeking proper documentation and those who voluntarily choose to return home.
Government officials have also stressed that foreigners holding valid work permits and business licences remain protected under the law, while warning against xenophobia, harassment and vigilante action.
A joint response team involving the Burundian embassy, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration has also been established to address the emerging humanitarian and documentation needs.
According to United Nations figures, about 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers are registered in Kenya. However, the number of Burundians working informally is considerably harder to establish.
Many came to Kenya in search of economic opportunities after facing difficult circumstances at home. Over time, they established businesses, formed communities and built lives around Nairobi’s streets and markets.
Now, that sense of stability has been shaken.
The uncertainty has disrupted incomes, businesses and daily routines, leaving many caught between the desire to remain in a country they have come to call home and the possibility of starting again in Burundi.
The concerns have not been limited to Burundians, with nationals from other neighbouring countries, including some Ugandans, also facing uncertainty and reportedly moving towards border points.
For those still gathering outside the embassy, the future remains unclear.
Some will obtain the documentation needed to remain in Kenya during the registration period. Others will board buses and begin the journey back home, either independently or through assisted return programmes.
For now, the embassy gates in Kilimani have become more than a place to seek paperwork.
They have become a crossroads between staying and leaving, belonging and uncertainty, and between a life built in Kenya and the difficult possibility of starting again somewhere else.
