Deputy President William Ruto has promised to deport all Chinese nationals engaging in retail business if he wins the August 9th general elections.
Speaking during the Kenya Kwanza Alliance Nairobi Economic Forum at Ngong Racecourse on Tuesday, Dr. Ruto, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate, argued that there is no way Chinese will engage in retail business, roasting maize, kiosk business and other small businesses, yet Kenyans are struggling with unemployment.
“Let that not worry you. Those are Kenyan businesses and those engaged in such business, we have enough aeroplanes to deport them back to where they came from,” said Ruto.
“We have agreements with different countries on what level of business or work is to be done by locals and which one is allowed, where one must have work permit, to foreigners. And that level is not selling in kiosks, retail or roasting maize,” he added.
Traders complained at the forum that Chinese nationals in retail were selling goods at low prices, driving locals out of business.
Mr Nelson Iruku, an electronics trader in Nyamakima, stated that the Chinese sell items to traders, and then, after the traders have created a market for the goods, the Chinese come to Kenya to do the same thing, selling cheaply and putting locals out of business.
“They send their children here to take over the market from us yet we cannot be allowed to do the same in China. If there is a law that can outlaw the Chinese to stop engaging in the same business which I can do, then that will help us. We don’t have a problem with other nationals,” Iruku said.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, who is running for governor, also claimed that the Chinese had invaded the capital and were now selling second-hand clothes in Gikomba, selling electronics, and having warehouses.
