Jean-Pierre Nimbona aka Kidum Kibido a Burundian musical artist has appealed for restraint amid a Kenyan government crackdown on foreign nationals engaged in small-scale trade, warning against violence as fear spreads among Burundians living in the country.
Kidum, who has lived in Kenya for roughly three decades after fleeing Burundi in 1995, made the appeal in a series of Whatsapp stories reviewed by Burundi Times.
“No need to shed blood please! They are willing to leave,” Kidum wrote. In a separate post, he offered his own vehicle to help people return home safely, again urging that no violence take place.
Kidum’s appeal carries added weight given his own history as a refugee who built his music career in Nairobi. His comments reflect what observers describe as an increasingly personal dimension to the tensions, as concerns among Burundians have shifted from questions over business permits to fears about harassment and physical safety.
BIEN AND OCTOPIZZO ADD THEIR VOICES
Kidum’s appeal was among a growing number of interventions from East African musicians and public figures using social media to call for solidarity as the crackdown stokes anxiety among Burundians.
Kenyan singer Bien-Aime Baraza, known as Bien, was among the most prominent voices to speak out. In an Instagram post Monday, he cautioned that targeting one African community could set a precedent that harms others down the line, writing that an attack on one community threatens the dignity of all and that Africa should remain a home for Africans.
His comments came as hundreds of Burundians lined up outside their embassy in Nairobi seeking passports and emergency travel documents amid uncertainty over the enforcement campaign. Kenyan media reported some were preparing to return to Burundi while others sought to regularize their status in the country.
Bien also cited statistics on Kenya’s income inequality, arguing that the country’s economic troubles should not be blamed on foreign traders.
Kenyan rapper and activist Octopizzo also weighed in, urging Kenyans to distinguish between enforcing immigration law and targeting an entire nationality.
In a post published Sept. 6, Octopizzo said people who flee their home countries in search of safety and opportunity should not be made to feel unwelcome again. He called for authorities to prosecute individuals who break the law rather than punishing entire communities, saying any crimes should be investigated and prosecuted “regardless of their nationality.” He closed with an appeal for Burundians to be allowed to live and work in Kenya peacefully.
Octopizzo’s comments follow reports of harassment against some Burundians and come amid a broader public debate over President William Ruto’s directive targeting foreign-run small businesses.
RISING TENSIONS
The artists’ interventions come at a sensitive moment in Kenya-Burundi relations. Ruto’s directive followed complaints from Kenyan small-scale traders about competition from foreign nationals. Kenya’s Trade Ministry has said the enforcement effort targets foreigners operating businesses without required work permits, and the government has since opened a registration window for undocumented East African nationals.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei apologised Monday to Burundian nationals, saying some had faced ridicule and harassment stemming from a misunderstanding of the government’s directive. He said the government wants Africans and East Africans to live together peacefully, according to The Star.
Despite the apology, scenes of uncertainty continued in Nairobi. Hundreds of Burundians queued outside their embassy Sept. 7, some carrying luggage as they sought travel documents.
For the artists speaking out, the episode has come to represent a larger test of African solidarity and the principle that citizens of East African Community states should be able to live and work across borders without fear of collective punishment.
