The Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Moses Kuria has promised Kenyans that the government will ban mitumba once an alternative is found.
The CS was speaking at the Changamka festival in Nairobi on Tuesday where he challenged the textile industry. He said that once they get a solution, mitumba will be banned just as it was done in South Africa.
“Whatever is required for us to sell to our people the same way we are selling to America, we will do. Once the option is available we will do like South Africa. South Africa banned mitumba. I’m sure you want me to say that we are going to ban mitumba, Yes, we will ban mitumba once we give people an alternative and then we ban it,” said the CS.
Kuria promised to work with the textile industry to ensure cheaper clothes are available in the market.
“The price we are selling to America is much lower than Mitumba. It’s not a question of price, it’s a question of availability, and it’s a question of information. I will work with the textile industry and make sure that first, we make the cheaper clothes available in this market,” said Kuria.
During the 2022 campaigns, in his manifesto, the Azimio One Kenya flag bearer Raila Odinga promised to ban mitumba.
“Mitumba, it killed all our textile industries. Our people are only wearing clothes coming from outside the country which have been won by people who are dead,” said Odinga during the launch of the Azimio-One Kenya manifesto.
However, the Kenya Kwanza flag bearer, William Ruto and his allies were against the idea saying it will affect the people selling second-hand clothes negatively.
“Ningependa kuwapatia hakikisho ya kwamba biashara ya mitumba haitafungwa na mtu yeyote.” said the then deputy president during his campaign while addressing matters affecting mitumba people ion Gikomba.
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