Unregulated imports are killing industry and endangering Kenyans

Consignment of imported sugar at a warehouse in Mombasa in June 2018. Authorities said it was not fit for consumption. [File, Standard]

In the 1970s and 1980s, the average Kenyan town hosted a tailor at every street corner. There was a gentleman’s tailor and another one to carter to the ladies perched on the highest veranda frontage at the market. On a montage behind the tailor stood a display of the best of their works. Usually, these were the uncollected pieces. Beside the busy Singer sewing machine stood rolls of textiles. It is these textiles that made work easy for the village tailor. They were all made in Kenya and proudly sported their manufacturer’s label on the ribbon at the edge. Kicomi and Rivatex were a mark of Kenyan excellence.

Fast-forward to the 1990s. Open-air second-hand markets have replaced the tailor as the focus of the village market. Here, you could buy everything, from used underwear to babies’ clothes at low prices. If invited for a ‘first camera’ viewing when the mitumba bales were opened, you could even chance upon a designer label. Suddenly, the village girl matched her city rival in countenance and dress. The village boy too could hold his own against the more savvy and streetwise city dweller. On the face of it, it looked just fine.