The Kenyan government has given foreign nationals 90 days to regularise their immigration and business documents, following remarks by President William Ruto that sparked panic among migrant communities — particularly Burundians and Congolese who operate small businesses in Nairobi. The announcement came with guarantees that security forces would not harass or arbitrarily detain foreign nationals during the registration period, after reports emerged of attacks on immigrant-owned shops and a rush by Burundians to queue outside their embassy, many preparing to leave the country. Kenya (the largest economy in East Africa) has long attracted workers and entrepreneurs from neighbouring states, but rising complaints from local small-business owners about competition from foreigners prompted Ruto to call on parliament to define which sectors may be reserved for Kenyan citizens.