Nairobi — President William Ruto will ban imported shoes in two years to support the local leather industry has been facing cheap products from abroad.

Instead, the Head of State said that the country will use its own skins to make the products.

He said that the country's leathers were being given to dogs while we were buying those from abroad at exorbitant prices between Sh20,000 and Sh40,000.

"Within the next two years, I will ban shoes imported from abroad. We will be making shoes with leather from our cows," President Ruto said on Sunday during a Sunday service in Kajiado County.

To support the industry, the Government has allocated nearly Sh2 billion for the treatment of cowhide to improve the local supply chain.

This, he said, will increase earnings for farmers who sell their hides at throw-away prices.

Local farmers have resorted to throwing goat and cow skins due to the cheap prices that they fetch at local tanneries, which has, in turn, impacted local shoe production.

Fierce competition from countries such as America, and China, among others, whose shoes are way cheaper has also made shows making business in Kenya not so lucrative.