Ruto’s foreign business directive puts Pan-Africanism to test

The fallout from President William Ruto’s directive targeting foreigners engaged in small-scale businesses is now raising a bigger question: Is Kenya’s commitment to Pan-Africanism being put to the test? Ruto has consistently championed open borders, freer movement of people and deeper intra-African trade, arguing that a more integrated continent is key to Africa’s economic transformation. But his latest directive restricting foreign nationals from low-capital businesses has put that philosophy under fresh scrutiny, exposing a tension between protecting local livelihoods at home and advancing Pan-African integration abroad. Brenda Wanga reports.