Kenya Announces Amnesty Scheme as Burundian Exodus Accelerates

Kenya's government has unveiled a short‑term amnesty for undocumented migrants, a move prompted by a rapid increase in Burundian nationals seeking to leave their home country, Al Jazeera reported. The immigration ministry said the programme will allow migrants from Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and South Sudan to apply for temporary residency by registering at their respective embassies in Nairobi. A government spokesperson emphasized that the registration process is voluntary but essential for those wishing to avoid detention or deportation.

The amnesty, which will run for three months, offers a provisional work permit and access to basic services for applicants who can prove they entered Kenya without proper documentation. Officials said the initiative is intended to regularise the status of thousands of people who arrived in Kenya over the past year as political turmoil in Burundi intensified.

Burundi has been gripped by a deepening crisis since 2024, when a failed coup and subsequent crackdowns on opposition figures triggered widespread unrest. Economic stagnation, food insecurity and reports of human‑rights abuses have driven many Burundians to seek safety in neighbouring Kenya, which hosts one of the largest East African refugee populations. The surge in arrivals has strained Kenya’s border facilities and social services, prompting the current amnesty as a pragmatic response.

Kenya has a history of periodic amnesty programmes aimed at regularising undocumented workers, most recently in 2022 when the government offered a similar pathway to migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia. Critics argue that such measures are temporary fixes that do not address the root causes of irregular migration, while advocates contend they reduce the risk of exploitation and improve public health monitoring.

The East African Community (EAC) has called for coordinated migration policies, noting that unchecked flows can destabilise the region’s labour markets and security environment. By encouraging formal registration, Nairobi hopes to gather reliable data on migrant numbers, which could inform future bilateral agreements with neighbouring states and shape regional migration frameworks.

If the amnesty proves successful, Kenya may consider extending the window or integrating it into a longer‑term immigration reform. For now, the government urges all undocumented nationals to come forward, assuring them that the process will be confidential and that no immediate penalties will be imposed for prior illegal entry.