Sorry to hear you're having this issue. I'll second or third the idea of giving the dog some time and space. And it would be helpful to know the history.
In the meantime, just stick with food and avoid trying to play. Play can be mis-interpreted as aggression. Also cut the dog some slack. If someone grabbed you out of your home and stuck you somewhere else you might have some issues as well. These guys are not cardboard cut-outs.
I would say that biting with strangers can be an issue for the breed though most of the time it's not. Keep in mind that being friendly with strangers in an African village is not going to be a survival skill. Ordinarily there isn't a problem but if people think a Basenji is going to act like a Golden Retriever, and behave as if they will, that's when problems can occur. That's the intersection of a clueless person and a nervous Basenji. As the dog figures out that you can be trusted it's unlikely you will have an issue. But be careful when introducing new people into the mix. (Which BTW is what is happening now).