Eldoret-based apparel manufacturer Rivertex has decided to boot its output with the new Kisumu plant.
The move by the company raises prospects of a swift economic upturn in the aftermath of the current business shutdowns brought about by coronavirus pandemic.
The manufacturing firm has earmarked an expensive Nyando sub-county to build its new firm.
The move by the fabric firm is strategic since the State had already broken ground for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) within the same area after giving off 2ooo acre from the operational Miwani Sugar Company.
Once the two plants – SEZ and Rivatex are fully operational, they will transform the quite villages into an industrial hub while boosting the region’s economy.
The company is looking forward to tapping the region’s rich cotton production potential to increase volumes of apparel churned out to the market.
The Kisumu plan will provide job opportunities from over 30000 people with machine operators, tailors, designers and technicians being the great beneficiaries. Farmers, food producers, landlords, and transport operators will also benefit from the firm either directly or indirectly.
“In realization of the president’s four-point agenda on industrialization and in collaboration with relevant ministries, Rivatex Company, together with the Department of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) has chosen to have a branch in Kisumu.
“This will revive the economy of this area and spur growth but most importantly it will revive cotton-growing which thrived in the 80s and 90s.
The plant will have 3,000 employees stitching various garments as apparels are made in Eldoret,” said Rivatex manager Richard Tanui.
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The move by Rivatex is viewed as a strategic move to fully use the SEZ which is currently being built in Kisumu by a multi-sectoral agency under the Ministry of Industrialization.
Richard Tanui said the Eldoret plant is yet to produce its full capacity because of the insufficient raw materials and the move will give room for farmers to grow cotton to supply the company.
Nyando Member of Parliament has loaded the move and has urged his constituents to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to maximize their potential.
“This should be very exciting to all right-thinking residents of Nyando as there is a real opportunity to make farms productive. Tailors and designers and the technicians who will directly be employed should hurry as this is starting right away,” MP Jared Okello said.
Raw materials
The company is set to start operating in prefabricated sheds as it waits for approvals for the construction of their permanent workshop.
“The trucks that will come to bring raw materials to be worked on here should not go back empty.
Plant cotton and ensure you maximize the use of your farms. The 3,000 people directly employed here will need rental houses to live in, so start building,” urged Okelo.
A large number of SMEs from the regional block are equally angling for a swift off once the economy is opened up as seen on a number of bank loan applications from SMEs.
