Rwandan women in Kenya reflect on AfCFTA & what it means for them

The Organization of African Unity (OAU) was established in 1963 to promote unity and cooperation among African nations.

In 2002, it was replaced by the African Union (AU), which took on a stronger role in economic integration. One of the AU's flagship initiatives is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In March 2018, representatives from numerous African countries met in Kigali, Rwanda, to sign the AfCFTA agreement.

Trading under the agreement officially began in January 2021, with the goal of boosting intra-African trade, entrepreneurship, and deeper regional integration across the continent.

It is on the back of this policy that Malindi, located along the Kenyan coast, quickly became home to an unlikely group of female women.

These women, originally from Rwanda, have invested their economic future in the local economy. They are bakers who spend long hours tirelessly transforming dough into delicious treats for an eager local market.

Clare Majambere is a baker and an example of the benefits the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has had on small scale traders in Africa.

“I left my home at midnight and got here at 8 am. Once you get to the Ugandan border, they have to conduct a security check to know what you are bringing from one country into the next. I came into Kenya via the Busia border," Clare says.

She stayed in Kenya for a while before finally settling in Taveta and extending her visa. Clare's journey was relatively straightforward; she only needed the necessary documentation and has worked in the country without any immigration issues.

“We worked with an immigration agent that helped us get through the right procedures as well as a lawyer we paid to get the work done. The impressions that we got from them have helped us here in Kenya," she says.

Clare acknowledges that while business is thriving, it is also challenging since she must rise early and go to bed quite late.

This routine continues month after month. Her integration into Kenyan society has ensured that she makes a tidy profit.

In a successful month, she would earn at least fifty thousand Kenyan shillings in profit, which would eventually allow her to open new branches in Kilifi town and Mazeras.

“Everyone does business with us. They do not mind that we are not Kenyans. They do not mind that we are from elsewhere. Kenyans come from as far as Meru to buy from us, and none have tried to swindle us.”

Aside from Kenya offering a great environment for business, she met the love of her life here and is now a mother to a beautiful four-month-old baby.

“I was not focused on finding love. I just wanted to take care of my family but somehow found myself in love and married!” She says with a laugh.

Just like Clare, Christine Namukeshi, moved to Kenya and is pursuing her vegetable trade in Malindi.

“I came to Kenya in 2021. I came to get married. I was a housewife for one and a half years. I had my first baby, and after another year and a half, I decided to start selling vegetables,” Christine shares.

“Now, I go to the market at 5 am with my baby. I go get the vegetables and bring them to the market.”

“At first, I did not know the prices. But I found friends at the market who helped with the pricing. Other Rwandans at the market promote my business a lot too.”

The African Continental Free Trade Area enables the free movement of Africans from one country to the other and has made it possible for Clare and Christine to travel, live, and conduct business with ease.

“I have traveled home and back to Kenya without any problems. Nobody has stopped me. One should be able to go back home freely, unless they are a fugitive!” Clare adds.

She hopes to build a home for herself one day. She has always wanted to own a good home and has given herself a three-year goal to achieve this.

The women urge other women in their economic bracket across the continent to work hard and make money to help support their families.

“All my life, I have had to do back-breaking work to earn a living. I have never had an easy job. I don’t like to sit around eating and idling at home, waiting to be provided for. This makes you a burden to your husband and family. As a woman, one must always work hard and persevere in their trade to improve their lives.

There are women here who have jobs that are even more difficult than mine. They carry vegetables on their heads, unsure of who will buy them, but they keep going. That is more difficult than anything I have ever done," Clare says.

In the 2019 Kenyan census, the government issued identity cards to 3,000 Rwandan nationals to access more government services and integrate into the country.

By 2024, the number of refugees in the country has reached 774,370 from Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Burundi.

Membership in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has also expanded to 54 countries out of 55, with Eritrea yet to join.

This content is produced as part of the Move Africa project, commissioned by the African Union Commission and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the GIZ or the African Union.

This article is published in partnership with AWIM