Second-hand cloth traders are calling for a review of the current 35% tax import duty on second-hand clothes, warning that high taxes are threatening the sector that employs millions of Kenyans.
The Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya (MCAK) Chief Executive Officer Martin Gitau has said the current taxation structure does not recognise the sector’s contribution to livelihoods, affordable fashion and environmental sustainability.
According to the association, the second-hand clothing market contributes an estimated Ksh 12 billion in annual tax revenue, supporting over 2 million jobs.
The industry also supplies affordable clothing to at least 20 million Kenyans every year.
Gitau urged the government to enforce quality standards to save the country from becoming a dumping ground for substandard clothes and shoes.
MCAK is further calling on the government to pursue policies that allow second-hand clothing traders and local textile manufacturers to operate alongside each other.
Gitau argued the sector extends the useful life of garments, providing affordable clothing to millions of Kenyans and supports livelihoods across the country
The association also welcomed efforts to ensure access to affordable clothing and promotion of responsible resource use across the textile value chain.
