What Raila Odinga said about Mitumba that has caused an online uproar.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga has found himself in the middle of online uproar after he made remarks on second-hand clothes (mitumba).
What Raila Odinga said about Mitumba
While launching his manifesto, Raila alluded that he was going to revolutionize the textile industry by doing away with second-hand imports. He promised that he will re-introduce cotton growing that will spark the growth of based textile products.
However, his sentiments that mitumba clothes have been worn by dead people is what has caused uproar among Kenyans.
“In textile manufacturing, here there is going to be backward and forward integration. We will re-introduce cotton growing in large numbers in our country. Our textile industry was killed through liberalisation and then they brought mitumba.
Our people are only wearing mitumba, clothes that are coming outside the country, that are worn by people who are dead. We are going to go to primary production so that our people who are importing mitumba can have good product to sale here, “said Raila.
Furthermore, Raila clarified that his move will not send those engaged in mitumba importation into oblivion but they will now have to market first-hand products manufactured in Kenya.
