00:00Burundians in Nairobi flocked to their embassy on Monday, days after Kenyan President William
00:06Ruto ordered the closure of small businesses run by foreigners. Kenya has long been a destination
00:12for workers from across the East African community, a regional bloc allowing freedom of movement for
00:19members. But Ruto's order has people scrambling for travel documents to return home.
00:25I'm surprised because when we were in our country, we were told we could travel to the
00:30East African community using our identification cards and that we could live well. But even
00:36after coming to this country using our cards, we're being thrown out like animals.
00:45Kenyans are nice people. Racism started after the President announced that foreigners had
00:52to leave the country. I mean, it started Wednesday from last week.
01:07Many Burundians in Nairobi make a living through street vending, often without official work
01:14permits. They say they faced violence in the days since Ruto's announcement.
01:21The Burundians, of course they are taking the work of the Kenyans, because you go to Mchengo,
01:27where people build, you get a Burundian that is given 300 and a Kenyan is supposed to be
01:34given 700, which you take, Burundians see in Kenya, they stay 10 people in one house. And
01:41the Kenyan, you stay only one person in one house. So it is much better, cheaper for them
01:46than house, to pay even rents. And you see life in Kenya now is very hard.
01:52Kenyan authorities say Ruto's words have been misunderstood as a call to leave. Burundians should instead
01:58have formal documentation to live and work in the country.
