100,000MT
Kinywa Mungai says his life may not be the same again once East African Community partner states effects ban on the importation of secondhand clothes( mitumba).
The 30 year-old father of three fears that his, and about 65000 traders’ jobs in Nairobi will be lost if the government makes real the proposal.
He has been in the business of selling secondhand khaki trousers for 11 years, having started at age 19 in Muthurwa market, the second largest open-air market in the Kenya’ s capital city
Mitumba business, he says, employs many youths, majorly those that failed to get formal employment. His business has enabled him support his family over the years, and rakes in between Sh2000 and sh5000 a day.
“ I have labored all my life to grow this business, I’ m so sure my life and that of my family will be greatly affected. Where will the government take us, having in mind that at least 85 percent of traders in Muthurwa market depend on mitumba as their source of livelihood,” he says, adding that the Kenyan populace majorly dependent on these clothing will suffer a great deal.
Mungai insists the government should strive at making the market fairly competitive to both parties if it means good for its citizens.
“ We( traders) have no powers to control the decisions the government feels befits its citizens. What we are asking is a fair market that will promote equal participation. The government should ensure that local companies produce clothes at an affordable price to enable Kenyans and traders access them at a favorable price,” says Mungai. Effecting the ban EAC summit, the highest organ of the bloc, had last year instructed its council of ministers, which is composed of ministers in charge of East African Affairs, to study ways of supporting the region’ s textile and leather industries.
The ministers’ findings would guide the bloc in deciding its approach to the sector, which has been severely chocked by the importation of cheap second-hand outfits.
Kenya alone imports around 100,000 metric tonnes of second-hand clothes, shoes and accessories a year from Western countries.
The region’ s heads of state agreed to adopt their minister’ s position calling for a ban on importation of used clothes, shoes and bags, by imposing heavy levies on the imports.
While addressing the nation after this year’ s Arusha summit, President Uhuru
Kenyatta urged traders in the secondhand clothes business to ease out of trade to encourage growth of the local textiles and manufacturing sectors.
The president said the move is meant to promote manufacturing and growth of high-value jobs locally while ensuring that the mitumba business goes on without interruption.
“ Ultimately, it is critical for the mitumba industry to slowly move into the new clothes market, supporting local production and local jobs. This is an important step towards promoting the‘ Buy Kenya, Build Kenya’ initiative,” he said.
The message rang negatively to the aggrieved traders, who felt that the initiative aimed at taking away their jobs, prompting the president to host the Association of Mitumba Importers in Kenya( AMIK) in state house so as to iron out the issues.
The East African Business Times magazine( EABT) has learnt that the meeting eased tensions, with the president’ s assurance that the government will provide competitive alternatives for mitumba traders through adequate supply of quality locally manufactured apparel that will be sourced at competitive prices.
The East African Community( EAC) secretariat’ s study on the existing installed capacities in the region, both domestic and export manufacturers, pointed out that the region has the capacity to satisfy the market in a three-year phaseout plan.
After addressing his ministry’ s milestones at the just concluded Jubilee Inter- Ministerial Public Symposium in Nairobi, Industrialization and Enterprise
Development Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed disclosed to this publication that the government is working on making Kenya the easiest place of doing business by lowering production costs, improving infrastructure and availing land for investors.
“ We are aware of the demands required to boost the sector and we are handling the issues cautiously but remarkably. The ministry will continue engaging the private sector and ensure that Kenya tops in ease of doing business so that local products can be affordable,” he said.
According to Kenya’ s Industrial Transformation program, a publication by the ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development that showcases its
THE AFRICAN BUSINESS FORTUNE- EAC
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I have labored all my life to grow this business, I’ m so sure my life and that of my family will be greatly affected- Kinyua Mungai
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100,000MT
Amount in tones of secondhand clothes, shoes and accessories Kenya imports from Western countries a year
projects and prospects, Kenya accounts for only 0.4 percent of the US $ 84 billion
American Textiles market despite her advantage over other low-cost countries. Moribund sector Further, statistics from the African Cotton & Textile Industries Federation show that the local textile industry peaked in 1984 with 52 mills producing more than 70,000 bales, and grinders alone employed more than 42,000 people.
Currently, the number of mills has reduced to 15, operating at a capacity of between 30 and 45 per cent.
Decline of Kenya’ s textile industry dates to early 1980s when the liberalization policies spearheaded by the World Bank opened up the local economy to second-hand clothes, and after the collapse of Kenya Cotton Board.
Due to their lower costs compared to locally produced outfits, the second-hand clothes, which were largely imported into the country, led to the gradual collapse of the then robust Kisumu Cotton Mills( KICO- MI) and Rift Valley Textiles.
To speed up investment in the sector, Kenya’ s ministry of industrialization is set to develop an integrated textile cluster in Naivasha so as to attract anchor investors and leather clusters in Machakos and two other locations within the country.
Already, Uganda had proposed a ban last year-even before the official pronouncement by EAC- on the importation of these second-hand garments, which account for 81 per cent of all clothing purchases in the country.
Imports of these clothes are to be phased out by 2019, and the most affected by this move are the many traders who depend on this business.
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