Kenyan president orders crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses

Government figures show that Kenya had about 857,000 registered Refugees and asylum seekers by the end of June, with nearly 14% living in urban areas.Kenyan law recognises the right of Refugees to work and operate businesses, although they are required to obtain the appropriate documentation. Refugees wishing to work or engage in a trade or business can apply for a special permit.In Nairobi and other major towns, migrants from the region can be found working in barber shops and salons, construction, operating motorbike taxis and street vending, as well as selling clothes, food and household goods.Some have fled conflicts or economic hardship at home, while others have moved to Kenya in search of better opportunities under the relatively free movement of people allowed within the East African Community, a regional bloc made up of eight countries.The growing presence of Foreigners has at times caused tensions with local traders and workers who accuse them of competing for scarce jobs and business opportunities.In July, a video of a Kenyan man confronting a Burundian trader in Nairobi and accusing him of taking opportunities from locals sparked widespread criticism.The clash also prompted Fred Ngoga, an expert on Regional Conflict Prevention from Burundi, to appeal for the protection of his country's citizens."The majority of Kenyans are decent and good people who welcome their brothers and sisters from Burundi," he said at the time, adding that most Kenyans had rejected the hostility directed at the trader.