International
Kenya Gives Foreign Traders 90 Days to Formalise Status Amid Xenophobia Fears
The Kenyan government has given foreign nationals operating businesses in the country 90 days to regularise their immigration status, work permits, business registrations and licences, following remarks by President William Ruto that triggered panic in immigrant communities and fears of xenophobic violence.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed announced the “orderly regularisation exercise” on Tuesday, saying relevant government agencies would work with foreign embassies to facilitate compliance. “Every person conducting business in Kenya is required to comply with applicable immigration, work-permit, registration and licensing requirements,” Mohamed said. Requirements will be administered “fairly, consistently and without discrimination” during the period. After the 90 days, the rules will be enforced “firmly and strictly in accordance with the law and due process.”
The move comes after Ruto’s comments last week that foreigners should not operate as hawkers or run small shops, which were widely seen as responding to complaints from Kenyan traders about competition in the informal sector. The remarks sparked anxiety, particularly among Burundian nationals who dominate street vending in parts of Nairobi. Hundreds queued at the Burundi embassy seeking travel documents amid concerns of a crackdown and possible attacks similar to recent xenophobic violence in South Africa. There were reports of at least one shop attack and instances of harassment or intimidation.
Mohamed explicitly warned that no individual or group has authority to harass, intimidate, threaten or interfere with foreign nationals or their businesses, stressing that enforcement is the sole responsibility of authorised state agencies. “Legitimate concerns about economic opportunity can never justify discrimination, excuse lawlessness or sanction violence,” the statement said. Kenya would remain “an open, secure and welcoming country” while protecting opportunities for its citizens, especially in the micro and small-enterprise sector.
Citizens of East African Community countries are eligible for free work permits, though many have not completed formal registration. The government has also directed that the Local Content Bill currently before Parliament be expanded to create a clearer framework identifying activities that may be reserved for Kenyans while protecting the rights of foreigners lawfully entitled to work, invest or trade.
The 90-day window is intended to allow an orderly process rather than immediate closures, offering temporary relief to affected communities while signalling stricter future enforcement.
International
Death toll in South Africa bar shooting rises to 18, police say
The motive for the attack was not clear but the area is reportedly gripped by rivalry between gangs involved in illicit mining for gold.
• Forensic officers and the army at the scene of a mass shooting at a bar in Wedela township, 27 September, 2026 AP Photo
The death toll from a mass shooting at a South African tavern has risen to 18 after one person died in hospital, police said on Monday, announcing at least two of the dead were Lesotho nationals.
The shooting west of Johannesburg late on Saturday was part of a bloody weekend in the crime-weary country, with 10 people killed in another mass shooting in Cape Town on Sunday.
Eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed the bar in the semi-rural township of Wedela, around 80 kilometres from central Johannesburg, and killed13 men and four women, police said.
“One more victim has died in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to 18,” they said.
“Only four of the deceased have been identified, two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.”
The motive for the attack was not clear but the area is reportedly gripped by rivalry between gangs involved in illicit mining for gold.
Thousands of unregistered miners operate in abandoned mining shafts in South Africa, many coming from across southern Africa, including the kingdom of Lesotho which is within South Africa.
International
Congo military plane crash kills 13, including three officers
“All those on board died; 12 were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s lifeless body was found outside the aircraft.”
Thirteen people including three army officers were killed on Friday when a military plane crashed in Democratic Republic of Congo, an official said.
Reuters reported that the plane was travelling to the capital, Kinshasa, from the southwestern city of Kikwit when it experienced a technical problem and attempted to land in Kenge, in Kwango province, said Remy Saki Bokinda, the Kwango vice governor.
“With no landing strip available in Kenge, the plane crashed into a residential plot,” he said.
The passengers included General Likulia Bakumi, the army’s auditor general, as well as a major, a captain and other military personnel and civilians, Bokinda said.
“All those on board died; 12 were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s lifeless body was found outside the aircraft,” he said.
Congo’s aviation accident investigation authority is launching a probe of the crash, a government statement said.
Congo’s army suffered significant setbacks last year at the hands of Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels who seized large swathes of the east.
International
At UN, 80 countries demand reopening of Hormuz, condemn Iran, Houthi attacks
“Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten international security and navigational rights and freedoms,” said a joint statement read out by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani at the United Nations.
• UN General Assembly
Some 80 countries at the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly on Thursday demanded the urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and condemned Iran and its Houthi allies for attacks in the region and disruption to international trade and energy security.
“Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten international security and navigational rights and freedoms,” said a joint statement read out by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani at the United Nations.
“We also strongly condemn the Houthis’ decision to resume conflict in Yemen, their continuous strikes on Saudi Arabia, and their reckless attacks in the Red Sea,” the statement said.
The statement’s backers included Gulf Arab states and major Western powers.
It added that the Houthis’ advance towards Bab el-Mandeb Strait would also only heighten risks to international shipping, maritime security and global trade.
Both Iran and the Houthis frame their actions as defensive.
Credit: REUTERS
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