A diplomacy and international relations expert, Philemon Samoei, has urged leaders not to politicize President William Ruto’s directive on documentation of foreign nationals engaging in business activities illegally in Kenya.
According to Philemon, the directive should be viewed in terms of enforcing Kenya’s laws and safeguarding opportunities for legitimate local enterprises, instead of being seen as targeting citizens from specific countries.
“If the President’s directive is taken out of context, it could spark unnecessary diplomatic tensions between Kenya and neighbouring countries,” he warned.
He further urged political leaders to exercise caution in their public statements, noting that Kenya maintains important economic and diplomatic relations with its neighbours and careless talk was detrimental to the relations.
He explained that the government should clearly communicate the scope of the directive and ensure that enforcement agencies apply the law fairly, regardless of the nationality of those involved.
To avoid sparking unnecessary tension, the diplomat argued that the crackdown on illegal business dealings should not be mixed with regional diplomacy.
By Shaline Jeruto
