The Ministry of Industrialisation has made a u-turn on an alleged plan to ban mitumba after an uproar from stakeholders and a United States (US) lobby group.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing China, Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed explained that Kenya had not banned mitumba and the statements were false.
“Our position is very clear: we have continued to allow mitumba goods to come into our country.We have had no ban in place and that position is clear,” stated Mr Mohamed.
Mohamed noted that a petition by a US lobby claiming that Kenya had banned mitumba was totally untrue and Kenya was engaging with US authorities clarifying the issue.
He stated that Kenya was instead seeking a transition through a change in market forces, that would see a reduction in the mitumba business as the second-hand clothes compete with those that are produced within East Africa.
“We would like mitumba clothes to compete with clothes that are produced within East Africa, within Kenya, and if those products are much more competitive and much more consumer-friendly, then, of course, you will see a reduction in the mitumba business in our country. But it is not going to be through a ban or anything of that nature,” disclosed Mohamed.
CS Mohamed’s sentiments came after a US lobby group announced that they were pushing for Kenya’s suspension from the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) group of countries for violating the principles of trade between the US and Kenya.
The lobby group argued that the supposed plan by Kenya to ban mitumba went against the principles of the agreement between exporters from African countries and the US.
They highlighted that under AGOA, Kenya qualified under certain principles to export their goods to the US without the usual tough restrictions imposed on them.
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