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A few days ago President Dr William Samoei Arap Ruto decided to crack a whip
A few days ago President Dr William Samoei Arap Ruto decided to crack a whip on foreigners who operate small businesses in the Republic of Kenya.
But it seems as if things are not going in plan after his stun directive. This is after a prominent politician from Coast region sent disturbing news to Kenyans on foreigners who operate small businesses in the region.
A prominent Mombasa maritime and business stakeholder, Khamis Mwaguya, has warned that foreign firms continue to displace local entrepreneurs across key economic sectors. Speaking on behalf of regional clearing and forwarding agents, Mwaguya cautioned that indigenous businesses risk total collapse if urgent state interventions are not enforced to protect local jobs and investments.
The warning comes days after President William Ruto issued an executive order banning foreign nationals from operating small-scale businesses, retail shops, and hawking across the country. Grounding his directive on protecting domestic enterprises from unfair external competition, the Head of State instructed enforcement agencies to halt illegal foreign involvement in low-capital trade starting September 7.
He emphasized that international investors should focus on high-impact industries capable of generating mass employment rather than competing with micro-enterprises.
Reacting to the presidential directive, Mombasa business leaders urged the government to expand the enforcement scope beyond informal retail and apply the same protective principles to the lucrative maritime and logistics sector.
Local agents noted that foreign multinational companies increasingly dominate clearing, forwarding, and supply chain operations at the Port of Mombasa, effectively pushing local youth and small agency firms out of primary commercial opportunities.
The growing push for local economic protection coincides with the Local Content Bill, 2025, currently undergoing parliamentary consideration. The proposed legislation seeks to mandate foreign firms to source a major share of their goods locally while reserving substantial workforce quotas for Kenyan citizens.
Stakeholders across the coastal region maintain that strictly enforcing local participation quotas in both small-scale trade and major infrastructural hubs remains vital to tackling youth unemployment and restoring economic self-reliance.
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