Burundi’s Foreign Minister, Edouard Bizimana has issued a sharp warning to Kenyan authorities, demanding immediate state protection for Burundian nationals following a directive by the Kenyan government targetting foreign owned small businesses.

He argued that Kenyans in Burundi are living peacefully and that if no action is taken towards protection of Burundi nationals, this could strain relations and impact Kenyans living peacefully in Burundi.

The diplomatic relation soured after Kenyan president William Ruto ordered a strict crackdown on undocumented foreign workers and declared small scale businesses should be strictly reserved for local citizens.

In reponse to the crisis, Gitega Ndikuriyo, the Secretary General of Burundi’s ruling party visited the Burundian embassy to oversee emergency operations, boosting volunteer staff to process up to 5,000 emergency travel documents per day for citizens choosing to flee surging tension.

While the Kenyan government later announced a 90 day grace period to give regional nationals time to obtain proper permits and documentations, many of the small scale business owners, out of fright, flocked to their embassy to secure emergency travel documents to return home.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei visited Burundian nationals at their embassy in Nairobi and apologized for what he described as a misunderstanding surrounding the government’s directive.

PS Sing’oei said that the government wanted to establish the identities , location and activities of foreign nationals to ensure their security while insisting that those legally living and working in Kenya will be protected.

Talks between Kenya and Burundi have opened talks with the aim to resolve the tension surrounding the status of Burundian nationals and their business activities in the country.

Bizimana’s warning places the Kenya-Burundi relationship under additional pressure at a time when the two countries are part of the East African Community and share extensive economic and regional ties.

As the talks between the two countries are ongoing, how the foreign traders issue will be handled will go a long way to determine whether it will remain administrative dispute over permits and business licenses or into a broader regional concern.