As the discussion on banning mitumba heats up on social media, DP William Ruto also shared his thoughts.
Through a tweet, Ruto used the opportunity to advocate for the bottom up economic model explaining how it will benefit mitumba dealers while bashing Raila Odinga at the same.
“Trickle down is dangerous. They branded business people’s merchandise counterfeit & destroyed them. Now clothing enterprises are dealers in dead-people’s wares to be banned. BOTTOM UP, using TVET will assist these enterprises grow from sewing, cottage to textile & leather industry,” Ruto said.
Quoting the tweet however, Raila shared a video clip of Ruto making remarks on Kenya importing mitumba.
“Tell those guys, the internet never forgets,” Raila said.
In the video, Ruto, who was in a past campaign rally, could be heard condemning importation of second items and wood products while championing for local manufacturing of the same.
“…All the things we are importing, chairs, shoes, clothes, we will stop that so that the clothes, shoes and all wood products can be manufactured in the country by our youths in the plan of generating wealth so that we can fight poverty and employ all our youths,” Ruto said.
Ambieni wale majamaa, the internet never forgets. https://t.co/yySQWNHh5g pic.twitter.com/yV4KmajCml
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) June 7, 2022
The discussion on mitumba was triggered by Raila’s remarks during the launch of Azimio OKA manifesto on Monday June 6 at Nyayo stadium.
“Mitumba killed all our sectoral industry. Our people are only wearing clothes coming from outside the country which have been worn by people who are dead. We are going to primary production so that our people who are importing mitumba can have good products to sell here.
“I am saying we are not moving anybody out of business, we will ensure that those who are importing mitumba get the first hand to market goods which are going to be manufactured here in this country. We will gin the cotton here and we will make the finished product here and this will create again a very big source of employment for our youths in the country,” the Azimio flagbearer said
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