Import of used clothes holding back textile industry - CS

Ministry of investment, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui with Principal Secretary in the State Department for Industry Juma Mukhwana during the Development of National Cotton,Textile and Apparel ,Policy Media Breakfast meeting on April 15,2025. [Benard Orwongo,Standard]

Kenya cannot have a thriving textile Industry and at the same time remain a favourite export destination for second hand clothes, Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui.

According to the CS, there is need for political good will to revive Kenya's textile industry.

He said the global trade realignment caused by Trump's new tariffs on countries around the world is an opportunity for Kenya to look inwards to promote local manufacturing and enhance value addition. "The current global trade realignment calls for us to be inward-looking to see what we must do," Kinyanjui said Tuesday while unveiling the Cotton, Textile and Apparel (CTA) policy.

The East African Community has in the past tried to ban the import and use of second hand clothes in Africa.

"I think the opportunity for a reset, and not just textile is now. We need to see more of intra Africa trade," Kinyanjui said, noting that the escalating trade war may not have started in Kenya, but its impact is likely to be felt.

The CTA policy is designed to revitalise the once thriving cotton industry and aims to support farmers, enhance value addition, promote local manufacturing and position Kenya as a competitive player in the region and global market.

"This policy will create employment for women and youth," Kinyanjui said while encouraging Kenyans to consume locally made clothes.

The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry says Kenya is exporting approximately $500 million (Sh65 billion) of textile and apparel under Agoa.

Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana said most of the ginneries in the country became obsolete due to the collapse of the textile industry. He said there are about four operational ginneries, out of 100 previously.

"Within the coming year, we will have about 10 ginneries," Mukhwana said, adding that there in need for an integrated system.

"Part of our stagnation is because of import of used clothes. How do you grow a vibrant textile sector, while importing used clothes in bales?" "We need to address the issue of dumping, we have not grow because of policy contradiction in that regard," Juma Mukhwana said.

Kenya has long been considered a dumping ground for second hand clothes, with statistics placing it as the largest importer of mitumba in 2023.

"I want to confirm that much of the mitumba is made in Kenya and exported outside, after which it is sold back here as second hand clothes," he said.

According to Caroline Saroni, the lead Consultant at AfriTrade Consulting Group, the CTA policy aims to increase cotton production, boost value-addition, create employment and skills development, enhance market access, promote sustainability, innovation, research and development in the CTA sector.