KRA Chairman Francis Muthaura Urges Kenya to Ban 'Mitumba'
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Chairperson Amb. Francis Muthaura has called for the imposition of a ban on importation of second-hand clothes into Kenya.
Muthaura says imposing a ban on importation of mitumba will help promote the country's struggling textile industry.
"Ours is a dumping ground for waste and it is terrible. It is time to take the bull by the horns, even if people like US President Donald Trump will make noise about it, we should put Kenya first. Second-hand clothes should not be allowed in because they have caused a lot of harm," Muthaura says adding that the country has been turned into a "dumping site."
He says sectors such as textile and furniture have been neglected yet have the potential of being Kenya's major economic drivers.
"We have a competitive edge but most of these have been left to the Chinese. Unless we have a dynamic strategy in industrialization, we will always be defeated before we even start," he adds.
The East African Community, which is made of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania, had planned to stop importing second-hand clothes from the United States from 2019.
However, most members of the regional bloc abandoned the plan after the US government threatened to block them from selling goods to America if they implemented the ban.
Rwanda, which went ahead to ban mitumba, was recently removed from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) beneficiaries list. Agoa allows countries in the sub-Saharan region to trade with the US.
"We must start doing things differently. We won't achieve much by being nice and this has to start with border control," Muthaura says.
Comments
Kenya is governed by a bunch…
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Kenya is governed by a bunch of idiots. How can you yield to pressure to allow importation of used clothes, then go ahead and hire an American firm pay them billions as advisors to agoa? If its fair trade we should only allow importation of new made in America textiles. Its like we have an agreement to export a few clothes to the US, but must buy all trash that is collected thereafter from them!
If the mitumba ban is…
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If the mitumba ban is specific to US, I can understand why Trump won't accept. They can make it a universal ban, that would make it a WTO issue, or just increase the tax and face the poor.
Mitumba has created jobs for…
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Mitumba has created jobs for millions of Kenyans. It is hard to see somebody with chapati (patches) because the poor can afford mitumba. 20 bob you go home with Gucci jeans or handbag.
That is why small scale…
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That is why small scale farmers in America remain poor.Same principle.You are not going to force poor people to shop at a Muhindi store or Deacons. Why do you think all of a sudden the Chinese are doing so well. Produce cheaply and sell cheap and people will buy. Mitumba has helped a lot of people especially create jobs so that people can eat and be clean which also helps with their self esteem. If you cannot produce locally and make a profit shut the textile industry down.Protectionism does not work.Clothing is a basic human need not a luxury furthermore even regular American folk wear Mitumba yet you still get designers becoming millionaires.
Huyu Ndugu yetu Muthaura ana…
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Huyu Ndugu yetu Muthaura ana umri wa miaka 72. Kusema kweli si amepita tayari wakati wa kustaafu (retire). Ni lazima serikali iwaajiri (employ) watu wenye mawazo mapya. Huyu ndugu yetu alianza kufanya kazi miaka ya Hayati Kamau wa Ngengi (Jomo Kenyatta)!
What drives mitumba is…
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What drives mitumba is demand for these cheap goods.Obviously Mpigs are their ilk are not mitumba shoppers,though some may be the importers.
When mwananchi goes to buy mitumba, he is thing of how much money he or she will save for other things.If you deny him that opportunity,then offer him an equal alternative.@ Kenya put is succinctly"where else can you buy designer name for 20 bob...)
If truly the government wants to abolish mitumba,then it should subsidize the textile industries to match mitumba...
If only the countries in ALGOA would stand in solidarity with Rwanda,that might be agood start.
Thrift stores in usa is full…
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Thrift stores in usa is full of mitumbas n many americans buys there juu they cannot afford clothes in kohl's,target or walmart n i saw in australia they buy this used clothes cheaply at salvation army stores n other godowns.So this mitumba bizness iko everywhere?Let the gava revives textiles industries,support farmers to grow pyrethrum back n give free taxes for investors to open industry's then new clothes will b cheaper then they can compete with mitumbas n this will make this mitumbas kupotea polepole.
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