Mitumba is good, but a thriving local textile industry much better

A mitumba trader displays clothes for sale at Gikomba market in Nairobi. [Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

In his inaugural address as the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt was very categorical about his path to economic recovery and growth.

This address, delivered on Saturday, March 4, 1933, was coming at a time when America had endured more than three years of economic depression. As such, millions of Americans were out of employment, banks were collapsing and the US dollar was performing poorly.