Kenya secured its position as a major market for used apparel while struggling to revive its textile industry.
According to trade data compiled by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kenya imported second-hand clothes and textiles worth Sh38.5 billion ($298 million) in 2023, overtaking Nigeria, which has a population nearly four-and-a-half times larger.
The rise in imports marks a 12.45 percent increase from Sh34.28 billion ($265 million) in 2022, as shipments of used garments flood the Kenyan market to meet the rising demand for affordable clothing.
Traders bring in various categories of second-hand apparel, including underwear, dresses, shirts, trousers, jackets, and shoes. Other used textiles such as bedding, towels, curtains, fabric scraps, and industrial rags also make their way into the country.
“I think we have not been intentional about growing the textile sector,” said Tobias Alando, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, in an interview.
Trade data from MIT’s Observatory of Economic Complexity shows that in 2022, Kenya’s second-hand clothing and textile imports were nearly equal to Nigeria’s at Sh34.5 billion ($265 million), with South Africa ranking third at Sh33.76 billion ($261 million).
In 2021, South Africa had been the continent’s largest importer, although the country enforces restrictions on such imports, permitting them only for specific uses such as industrial wiping rags or charitable donations.
Despite Nigeria’s official ban on second-hand clothing imports, analysts note that used garments continue to enter the country through smuggling.
In 2023, Ghana emerged as the second-largest importer of second-hand clothes, bringing in Sh30.4 billion worth of used garments, followed by South Africa at Sh29.4 billion, Uganda at Sh27.2 billion, and Nigeria at Sh27 billion.
Kenya’s demand for second-hand clothing is set to rise further following the removal of two key taxes—the Import Declaration Fees (IDF) and the Railway Development Levy (RDL)—under the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024.
The move has drawn strong opposition from local manufacturers, with officials from the Ministry of Trade distancing themselves from the decision, claiming lawmakers “sneaked” the amendments in at the committee stage.
“You are basically making mitumba coming into the country cheaper,” said Alando.
Kenya’s growing reliance on second-hand imports stands in contrast to its neighbors, who are tightening controls on used clothing. Countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia have introduced restrictions to promote local manufacturing.
Some East African Community (EAC) member states have raised tariffs, while others have rolled out incentives to support domestic textile production.
Currently, second-hand clothes imported from outside the EAC attract a duty of 35 percent or $0.20 per kilogram, whichever is higher.
Rwanda, for example, increased tariffs on used clothing imports despite facing retaliatory threats from the United States, a major supplier of second-hand garments.
Some officials within Kenya’s Ministry of Trade suggest that a large portion of Kenya’s mitumba imports may be destined for neighboring countries. “They are crossing the borders,” said one official, speaking anonymously.
Kenya’s situation is further complicated by its dependence on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a policy that grants eligible African nations duty-free access to the US market.
To maintain AGOA privileges, particularly for textiles, Kenya must allow the importation of second-hand clothing, much of which originates from the United States. Uganda and Ethiopia lost their AGOA eligibility after banning mitumba imports.
“We are reviving cotton, and for us to revive it, we have to revisit mitumba. But also, the country wants to have AGOA renewed. It is a catch-22,” said Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary for Trade, Industry, and Investment.
Attempts to regulate mitumba imports have sparked debates among Kenyan policymakers and economists, especially since the country abandoned its import substitution program in the early 1990s.
Supporters argue that second-hand clothing provides an affordable alternative for consumers who cannot afford new garments.
Opponents, however, contend that the influx of used apparel has devastated the local textile and apparel industry, which has the potential to generate millions of jobs across the value chain, from cotton farming to textile manufacturing and retail.
During his campaign, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga faced criticism after suggesting plans to rejuvenate Kenya’s textile industry. “Our people are only wearing clothes from outside the country that have been worn by people who are dead. We are going to do primary production so that our people who are importing mitumba can have good products to sell here,” he said.
His remarks were met with strong opposition, with then-presidential candidate William Ruto seizing the moment to appeal to mitumba traders. Odinga later clarified that he was not advocating for an outright ban on second-hand clothing imports.
Successive governments have attempted to revive the textile sector. The Kenya Kwanza administration is pursuing a value chain approach under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, while the previous Jubilee government attempted similar initiatives under the Big Four Agenda.
Despite these efforts, mitumba continues to dominate the market. The government has invested heavily in modernizing Rivatex East Africa, based in Eldoret, upgrading its equipment and infrastructure to enhance production capacity.
The company recently announced plans to seek a strategic investor to help meet the growing demand for textiles in Kenya and the broader region.
The draft National Cotton, Textile, and Apparel (CTA) Policy 2024 aims to guide the development of Kenya’s cotton value chain. “The policy seeks to revitalize and enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the cotton, textile, and apparel sector in Kenya and within the region,” stated the National Treasury in its 2025 Budget Policy Statement.
As part of its 2024-2027 strategy, the government plans to revamp and expand the textile industry through value addition and market access.
This includes establishing textile value-addition centers in Nyando and Kieni to improve raw material processing, constructing seven new ginneries, and modernizing existing ones.
Additionally, the Fourth Medium-Term Plan includes equipping county industrial development centers with tailoring facilities to support local tailors and small enterprises.
To encourage domestic textile consumption, the government also intends to launch international campaigns promoting Kenyan-made textiles and apparel while addressing unfair trade practices affecting the industry.
