Kenyans To Pay More For Mitumba As Moses Kuria Proposes Introduction Of Taxes On Imported Clothes

• Trade and Investment CS Moses Kuria hinted at an ambitious plan by the government to revive the local textile industry
• Kuria noted that the industry was capable of producing millions of jobs if the national government worked hand in hand with farmers
• The CS argued that imports had stifled the local textile industry, so imported fabrics should be controlled through taxes

Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy second-hand clothes, popularly referred to as mitumba.

This is if a proposal by Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria to introduce taxes on imported clothes sails through.

Why mitumba could cost more

The CS wants a 25% duty on imported garments to be imposed to protect the local industry.

Kuria argued that imports had stifled the local textile industry, and as such, imported fabrics should be controlled.

"For us to revive the textile industry, Kenyans should consume more of our locally made clothes. But that's not the case at the moment because mitumba and other imported fabrics are now our main source of clothing. We should reverse this trend," he said during the Devolution Conference in Eldoret.

Kuria explained that the cotton revival and implementation plan in Kenya was on course.

"This will require the collaboration of all stakeholders from the national government, governors from cotton-growing counties, the private sector and our farmers," he added.

Why Kenyan gov't wants to ban mitumba

In November 2022, CS Kuria hinted the government could do away with the mitumba business so as to revitalise the local textile industry.

He noted that with the government's intervention, the textile industry would generate upward of five million jobs as opposed to 50,000 postings currently available.

"We have to start walking the talk. I'm declaring that there is no stopping. Starting with the textile industry, we are going to start having our sectoral deep dives. We only have 50,000 people employed in the industry. Bangladesh has got 5 million people working in that industry. It is our intention to actually be equal if not better than Bangladesh, and we will do that," he said.

The proposal to ban mitumba sparked uproar from Kenyans.