Kenya minister warns foreigners against 'misusing' visas to trade

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 foreigners.President William Ruto had set today as the deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to cease work.Ahead of the move, the Burundian embassy in Kenya said it would offer emergency free travel documents to its citizens willing to go back home, amid reports of the mistreatment of Burundians.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 b...