Prepare for Higher Taxes on ‘Mitumba’, Trade CS Moses Kuria Says

The Kenyan government is proposing to increase taxes on second-hand clothes in an effort to boost the country's struggling cotton industry. 

Investment, Trade, and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has proposed to impose a duty of 25% on imports of clothing, including second-hand garments otherwise known as "mitumba." Kuria suggests that these imports should be classified as luxury items and urges Kenyans to purchase more locally-made clothing to stimulate the textile industry. The government intends to provide cheap fabrics to incentivize suppliers to purchase domestically-produced clothing.

“For us to revive the textile industry, Kenyans should consume more of our locally made clothes. But that’s not the case at the moment because mitumba and other imported fabrics are now our main source of clothing. We should reverse this trend,” Kuria says. 

The perception that mitumba is cheap is one reason why Kenyans prefer it over locally-made clothes. According to the CS, the Bill to impose a 25% tax on imported clothes will be introduced this financial year. The Minister of Agriculture calls for increased cotton production in areas that cultivate the crop and emphasises the need for support to help farmers achieve maximum yields. 

During a visit to Busia County, Kuria lauded the enthusiasm of the farmers, saying that they only require a little support to succeed, rather than attending seminars, workshops, and benchmarking events. The Minister intends to incentivize counties that explore their potential in cotton production by providing commercial ginneries with full boards and making them semi-autonomous, as counties play a significant role in supporting cotton farmers. During a tour of the Rivatex factory on Tuesday, Kitui Governor Julius Malombe and his West Pokot counterpart Simon Kachapin emphasized the need for better payment for farmers and highlighted the potential of the sector.