How US President Donald Trump’s Executive Orders will affect Kenya

Executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump may have a significant impact in Kenya and the African continent.

Trump signed several Executive Orders in the Oval Office hours after his inauguration, including one that suspended new foreign aid from the U.S. for the next 90 days, pending reviews to assess whether current policies were effective and aligned with his foreign policy agenda.

The Executive Order stated that foreign aid and bureaucracy were not in the best interest of the United States and often went against the nation’s values, a blow to many African countries that receive significant aid from the U.S.

"From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected across the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we shall not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of,” said Trump.

Although the White House did not clarify to what extent this order would affect foreign operations, Non-Governmental Organizations and international organizations could be significantly impacted by this decree.

Back home, foreign policy analysts doubt that Trump will claw back on the interests propelled by the Biden administration, insisting that a symbiotic relationship thrives between Kenya and the U.S.

"There is no free gift; they'll calculate what they'll get from Kenya, and they'll let that one slide - a small price for what they get from Kenya,” said Prof. Macharia Munene, a Foreign Policy Analyst.

“Any social aid that has no economic returns, he will cut off. When President Biden came in, he did sideline the economic agreement between Kenya and the U.S. I think Trump will have to look at that,” Gordon K'acholla, another Foreign Policy Analyst, added.

The Aid Data Network estimates that U.S. government aid contributes approximately $1.68 billion (Ksh.252 billion) annually to Kenya's economy. This includes $1 billion (Ksh.129.4 billion) in direct aid.

The U.S. government has been a leading provider of aid to international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), and various donor funds operating in Kenya. This means Kenya could face considerable effects from Trump’s order.

Trump also signed an Executive Order directing the United States to yet again withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, dealing a blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming and again distancing the U.S. from its closest allies while clawing back on climate funding in Africa and Kenya.

"The global world is moving away from fossil fuels, but here we have Trump saying we will drill. That should worry the entire globe, particularly the global south,” said K'acholla.

Further, Trump also said no to illegal immigration to the U.S, sparking fears among immigrants who may have settled without proper documentation.

"The ones that are likely to be in trouble are those who violated their Visa conditions, and there may be some, but it will take time before they are rounded up,” said Prof. Munene.

The U.S. President signed an order dictating that the country will no longer recognize birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. This refers to automatic American citizenship granted to anyone born in the U.S.

"We shall ensure millions of people go back to their land of origin,” he said.

"I think that is hot air because no judge in their right mind will violate the Constitution by mistreating an American citizen who happens to be a baby,” Prof. Munene added.

Trump’s orders may also impact agreements between President Ruto and former U.S. President Joe Biden, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure development, the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, as well as Kenya's designation as a major non-NATO ally.