In the run-up to the August 9, General Election, the Kenya Kwanza political wing strongly critiqued former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s move to ban the importation of second-hand clothes commonly referred to as Mitumba clothes.
William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza allies vowed to protect and uplift Mitumba business owners saying that over four million hustlers depend on the business to feed their families.
For instance, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa assured investors in the clothing sector that threats by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga to ban Mitumba will not work in the event Kenya Kwanza formed the next government.
“In our economic plan, we will ensure that Kenyans in the fashion and clothing industry partner with the government and investors so that each business can realize real growth and b financially stable. Threats by Raila Odinga that he will ban ‘Mitumba’ will not work,” Barasa said.
However, with just 50 days since William Ruto was sworn in as the fifth President, the new regime has hinted at reviving plans to ban Mitumba business.
Speaking during the Changamka Shopping Festival at KICC on Tuesday, November 1, Trade, investment, and industry CS Moses Kuria said the government will ban the importation of second-hand clothes once they find an alternative.
“We are going to ban Mitumba once we give people an alternative and we will give alternatives,” Kuria said.
According to Kuria, part of the alternatives include a focus will be on empowering the local textile industry to ensure the country produces its own cheap clothes.
The CS termed as ‘misguided’ the notion that Mitumba clothes are cheap.
“I will work with the textile industry to ensure that we make cheaper clothes available in this market, and then we will ban Mitumba when we give people an alternative,” he said.
