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Murkomen dismisses fears over Tanzania’s foreign business ban
02nd August, 2025 01:27 AM
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has downplayed concerns over Tanzania’s recent policy restricting foreigners from engaging in 15 types of businesses, saying Kenyan traders have no reason to worry.
Speaking on August 1, 2025, Murkomen reassured the public that relations between Kenya and Tanzania remain strong, and that Kenyans operating businesses across the border are not under threat.
“So I believe that Kenyans are safe in Tanzania, just like Tanzanians are safe in Kenya. And not just Tanzanians, we also have refugees and many other countries from many other citizens from many other countries in the world,” the CS stated.
Murkomen expressed confidence in the bilateral relationship between the two countries, predicting that no incidents would arise from the business policy changes.
“I do not expect any incident in any way as a result of this small idea about business permits. This is something that will be resolved amicably,” he added.
Regional integration
The Interior CS pointed to ongoing regional cooperation initiatives as evidence that bilateral relations remain strong despite these changes.
He highlighted the ongoing CHAN tournament, which is being hosted jointly by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania under the PAMOJA framework, as an example of continued collaboration.
“We are currently running the Pamoja football tournament and CHAN in the three countries. We are having three movements across the three countries, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania this week, this weekend. And for the next one month, we believe that we’ll be celebrating and enjoying football together,” he explained.
Characterising Tanzania’s foreign business restrictions as a minor policy matter, Murkomen expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved through diplomatic channels.
“People are going to Dar es Salaam, coming back to Nairobi, going to Kampala. We are in good shape as a region. There’s no cause for alarm,” he said.
Kenya’s concerns
His remarks come barely two days after Tanzania announced the enforcement of the Business Licensing (Prohibition of Business Activities for Non-Citizens) Order, 2025, which bars non-citizens from operating in sectors such as micro and small industries, imposing stiff penalties for non-compliance.
In a statement issued on July 30, 2025, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui, warned that the measures threaten regional trade and breach East African Community (EAC) agreements.
“The order, which includes significant penalties for violations, takes immediate effect except for current license holders. Kenya acknowledges and respects the sovereign rights of EAC Partner States to legislate on domestic matters, but also believes in the importance of consultation, coordination, and consistency in implementing policies that affect cross-border goods transfer,” the statement read.
Kinyanjui argued that the directive undermines the Common Market Protocol (CMP), which guarantees EAC citizens the right to establish and operate businesses across member states.
“All Partner States made binding commitments and Article 13 of the EAC CMP specifically allows EAC nationals to establish and operate businesses, not to treat EAC nationals less favourably than own nationals. Kenya requests that these restrictions be removed and that Tanzania reverts to measures provided for in the EAC protocol,” the statement added.
