Ruto, The Modern day Saul

[u/Mugo_yeah]

Ruto just ordered all foreign hawkers to close their shops by today. It feels like a Saul in the days of his downfall

What happened On Sept 2, President Ruto addressed MSME traders at State House. He declared that starting today (Sept 7), all foreign hawkers and small shop owners in Kenya are to close down.

His exact words: "It cannot be that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop. We have not built investor confidence so that hawkers can come to Kenya."

The Trade Ministry later clarified this technically applies to foreigners without valid work permits. But here’s the red flag: This directive is being enforced before the Local Content Bill 2025 is passed into law.

The Saul Parallel This reminds me of 1 Samuel 15:24, where King Saul says, "I feared the people and obeyed their voice."

The pressure cooker right now: 1. The Audience: Kenyan MSME traders protesting taxes and claiming foreign traders (selling duvets, clothes, etc.) are undercutting them in hubs like Gikomba and Eastleigh. 2. The Popular Move: Reserving small business for Kenyans. It gets cheers. 3. The Timing: Elections are next year. Critics are calling this "scapegoating foreigners for economic difficulties." The Human Cost Civil society groups like Kituo Cha Sheria warn this will fuel xenophobic profiling and harassment. They highlight that vulnerable migrants—including roughly 16,000 Burundians and 857,000 refugees who rely on hawking—are now at risk.

Hundreds of Burundians were already queuing at their embassy this morning. One told reporters: "I am not going home by choice. I have been forced to go."

The Theological Question There’s a distinction, of course. Saul disobeyed God to please people. Ruto would argue he is obeying his mandate—the Kenyan people.

But Samuel’s question to Saul remains the core issue: Is bypassing established legal processes (enforcing a ban before the law is passed) to chase popularity actually "obedience," or is it just pleasing the crowd?

The Real Question for This Sub Does this help local Kenyan traders long-term, or is it creating another structural problem (like Saul’s reign ended in disaster)?

I’m curious how everyone views the intersection of populism, economic policy, and xenophobia here.

I would have posted this on the Kenyan sub but got difficulties doing so.

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[u/SorbetBeginning616]

First, Ruto is getting ready to run for re-election. This is the right political move for him, because his tenure has been marred with lots of misses when it came to favorable popularity. Second, the global shift towards immigration has been nationalistic. Every continent is grappling with immigration related issues one way or the other. There has been a general growth of support for anti-immigration. Trump won his election on this. Ramaphosa is dealing with the fallout of delayed reaction to the same immigration problem. He isn't doing well in the polls. Thirdly, the law can always catch up if there is political will. Lastly, if it will be great for Kenyans remains to be seen with time. The logic is right though, we need investors, job creators coming into East Africa. We don't need further competition from fellow neighbors, who have their home countries undersaturated with the goods and services they are flooding in our semi- stable economies.

[u/Mugo_yeah → u/SorbetBeginning616]

Alright, I hope the whole thing doesn't fall with him

[u/MainImplement1188 → u/SorbetBeginning616]

Weren’t Kenyans complaining when Tanzania did the same thing. Even though Ghana and Botswana had already also done it?

[u/Accurate_Database574]

He is up for reelection, He needs someone to blame for His failures , He has gone for the lowest hanging fruit.

[u/Mugo_yeah → u/Accurate_Database574]

All the time he was blind