Nairobi, Kenya, Jun 7 — Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s reference to second hand clothes as garments “worn by dead people” has triggered an aggressive online debate pitting the five-time State House hopeful against a section of Kenyans and policy commentators.
Odinga made the remark Monday night while outlining the Azimio manifesto at Nairobi’s Nyayo Sports Complex.
The Azimio presidential flag bearer argued that the importation of used clothes popularly known as mitumba has had a negative impact on the country’s textile industry as he promised to revive the lucrative industry.
“Our textile industry was killed through liberalization but then they brought Mitumba, it killed all our sector industries. Our people are only wearing clothes coming from outside the country that have been worn by people who are dead,” Odinga said
He pledged to revive primary production so that “our people who are importing mitumba can have good products to sale here.”
City lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi, SC, described Odinga’s remark as regretful.
“Is Hon Raila nuts…or what? What is the nexus btw Mitumba and dead people?,” he tweeted.
Former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi who is eyeing the Westlands parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket dismissed Odinga’s remarks as uninformed saying a majority of Kenyans cannot afford locally produced garments which are expensive partly due to high production cost.
“60 per cent of Kenyans wear Mitumba clothes from Gikomba Market,” he said.
Odinga however clarified that he is not seeking to removing anyone out of Mitumba business but instead ensure that those who are importing the second-hand clothes get the first hand to market goods locally manufactured in the country.
“We will get the cotton, we will jinn it here, spin it here and we will make finished products here,” Odinga said.
Odinga noted that the move will boost youth employment in the country and empower them.
According to the 2020 economic survey released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya imported 184,555 tonnes of second-hand clothes with an estimated value of Sh17.8 billion in 2019 alone.
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