Morning: Ruto's foreign trader crackdown, nurses' strike enters fifth week, Intel AI training in libraries, Epson expands Nairobi office

President William Ruto has ordered a crackdown on foreigners operating small-scale businesses, giving them one week to close such operations. Speaking at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday, Ruto said the government must protect local traders and hawkers, arguing that foreign nationals have been competing unfairly with Kenyans in the informal economy. The order came amid growing debate about migrant traders and a July confrontation in Nairobi where a Kenyan man confronted a Burundian trader. Ruto directed that all foreign traders doing small businesses should close them from next week, while promising to fast-track legislation to preclude foreigners from certain areas of trade. The crackdown affects barber shops, salons, construction motorbike taxis, street vending and household goods sales in major towns including Nairobi. Government figures show Kenya had about 857,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers by end of June, with nearly 14% living in urban areas.

The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives has marched on the Salaries and Remuneration Commission offices in Nairobi, with the strike now entering its fifth week. Downed tools on July 30 over an unsigned collective bargaining agreement, unremitted deductions and stalled promotions, the union says about 9,400 nurses converged on Nairobi for a demonstration on September 3. Public hospitals in 20 counties ran on skeleton crews, with reports of postponed surgeries and redirected ambulances. The union demands signing of the CBA costing about Sh5.9 billion, remittance of withheld staff deductions, processing of stalled promotions and salary arrears, clear deployment rules and improved staffing levels. The Council of Governors counters that the 2017 CBA was signed under duress and urges nurses to return to work, maintaining the strike is illegal. Treasury has not committed to a national bailout of county health payrolls.

Intel, in collaboration with the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) and the Mandela AI Hub Foundation, is expanding access to artificial intelligence training across Kenya. Free courses will be offered through KNLS branches nationwide, with mobile units extending the programme to communities outside major urban centres. The AI for Citizens course targets people without a technical background, covering basic AI concepts and practical applications. The AI for Current Workforce course targets those who have completed formal education and want to improve workplace technology use. Although delivered online, participants have access to facilitated sessions at KNLS facilities. The Mandela AI Hub Foundation will support through training and community engagement, drawing on its work promoting AI awareness across Africa. The initiative responds to World Economic Forum findings that 86% of employers expect AI to transform businesses by 2030.

Epson has expanded its regional presence in Kenya with a new Nairobi office. The expanded facility includes a dedicated showroom and demonstration area where customers and partners can experience Epson's latest technologies. The centre will also support training, partner enablement and in-market services. Epson has extended use of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to cover 10 sites across the region, including Kenya operations — between March 2025 and April 2026, the company purchased 416 MWh of RECs to match combined electricity consumption. The initiative forms part of Epson's Environmental Vision 2050, targeting carbon negativity and zero underground resource consumption by 2050. The new office will showcase the latest EcoTank printer range, claiming up to 90% savings on ink costs and up to 20% faster colour printing, plus two portable entertainment projectors: LifeStudio POP and LifeStudio Flex featuring Sound by Bose audio. 'Our new office here in Nairobi is a good example of what our commitment to customers looks like in practice,' said Epson Regional Head Mukesh Bector.