Why it’s a bad idea to kill ‘mitumba’ business

In countries where more than half of the population is living below poverty line, a total ban on importation of second hand clothes is definitely a bad idea and should be thought through.

This move by East African Countries has been arrived at without putting much thought into it.

The stakeholders in the second hand clothes business otherwise known as "mitumba" should be considered, as this happens to be their only source of income.

This is a multi-billion shillings industry that has provided employment to a great number of people and they will lose their jobs if this is implemented. However, it should not be provided the high rate of unemployment.

In addition, there are some of us who languish in poverty and struggle every single day to put food on the table. We will be forced to stop shopping for clothes as brand new clothes are too expensive. This is inhuman and demeaning!

One may argue that this is good news for the textile industry as it will help promote them but we should not forget that textile companies aren't capable to absorb a good number of the unemployed. It will only benefit a few.

As much as boosting the textile industry is welcomed since there are also cotton growers who will benefit from it, the government should first revive the dead ones. For instance Kisumu Cotton Miller (KICOMI) in order to create jobs.

Furthermore, the EAC countries should provide an alternative for those involved in the second hand clothes trade before pushing for the ban. Also, they should not disregard the citizens who can't afford brand new clothes.

At the end of the day, if the stakeholders in the ‘mitumba’ industry are rendered jobless, it will negatively impact on the economy and in turn affect taxpayers.

Without proper measures taken into place to prevent numerous people from losing their businesses, this ban should not be allowed to pass.