Kenya Plans on Breathing New Life Into Ailing Textile Sector

President William Ruto has announced plans to spearhead an initiative that would ensure all military and police uniforms, as well as other clothing items, are exclusively produced in Kenya, reports Andrew Wasike for Deutsche Welle.

Kenya currently relies on textile imports, with over 90% coming from countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Turkey. But investment and finance expert Caroline Karugu believes there's no need to import fabrics when Kenya can produce them.

However, the president's new directive raises questions over whether Kenya can meet most of the local demand for textile products. Beyond army boots and police uniforms, most staples, like elsewhere in the world, come from textile manufacturers, mainly in southeast Asia.

Phyllis Wakaiga of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers sees opportunities for growth and development in this new move, suggesting that used clothing traders could shift their focus to locally-made clothing. Each year, the country imports close to 200,000 tons of second-hand items.