Kenya has emerged as the largest importer of second-hand clothes in Africa, earning the unfortunate distinction of being an easy dumping ground for used apparel while struggling to revive its collapsed textile industry.
- Kenya is the largest importer of second-hand clothes in Africa, surpassing Nigeria
- Kenya imported second-hand clothes and textiles worth Sh38.5 billion in 2023, a 12.45% increase from 2022
- Kenya’s increasing dependence on mitumba contrasts sharply with measures taken by its neighbors to promote local manufacturing
According to the latest trade data compiled by the United States-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kenya imported second-hand clothes and textiles worth Sh38.5 billion ($298 million) in 2023.
This surpasses Nigeria, a country with a population four-and-a-half times larger, making Kenya the continent’s leading buyer of mitumba, the Kiswahili term for second-hand clothing.
The imports represent a 12.45 per cent increase from Sh34.28 billion ($265 million) in 2022, as shipments of used garments continue to flood the Kenyan market, meeting the growing demand for affordable clothing.
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Categories of Imported Second-Hand Apparel
Kenyan mitumba traders import various categories of second-hand clothes, including underwear, dresses, shirts, trousers, jackets, and shoes. Additionally, other used textiles such as bedding, towels, curtains, fabric scraps, and industrial rags also enter the country.
“I think we have not been intentional about growing the textile sector,” stated Tobias Alando, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, in an interview.
Regional Comparison: Kenya vs. Other African Importers
An analysis of MIT’s Observatory of Economic Complexity indicates that in 2022, Kenya’s imports of second-hand clothes and textiles 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 was the leading importer of used clothes and textiles, though the country restricts such imports, except for specific purposes such as manufacturing industrial wiping rags or donating to registered charities.
Despite Nigeria’s official ban on the importation of used clothes, analysts note that they continue to be smuggled into the country from neighbouring regions.
In 2023, Ghana ranked as the second-largest importer of second-hand clothes, with imports valued at Sh30.4 billion. South Africa followed at Sh29.4 billion, with Uganda at Sh27.2 billion, and Nigeria at Sh27 billion.
Tax policy changes and their impact
The demand for mitumba in Kenya is expected to rise further after Parliament removed two key taxes—the Import Declaration Fees (IDF) and the Railway Development Levy (RDL)—through the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024.
Manufacturers have strongly opposed these changes, with officials from the Ministry of Trade distancing themselves from the amendments, claiming they were “sneaked” in by lawmakers at the committee stage.
“You are basically making mitumba coming into the country cheaper,” said Mr Alando.
Neighbouring countries tighten import controls
Kenya’s increasing dependence on mitumba contrasts sharply with measures taken by its neighbours. Countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia have introduced restrictions on second-hand clothing to promote local manufacturing.
To curb mitumba imports, some East African Community (EAC) member states have raised tariffs, while others have introduced incentives to boost domestic textile production.
Second-hand clothes imported from outside the EAC attract a duty rate of 35 per cent or $0.20 per kilogramme, whichever is higher. Rwanda, for instance, increased tariffs on imported used clothing despite facing retaliatory threats from the United States, a major supplier of second-hand garments.
Smuggling concerns and trade policies
Some officials in Kenya’s Ministry of Trade, speaking anonymously, suggest that a large portion of Kenya’s mitumba imports may be destined for neighbouring countries.
“They are crossing the borders,” said one official.
Kenya’s situation is further complicated by its reliance 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 permit the importation of mitumba, a significant portion of which originates from the United States.
Both 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,” remarked Dr Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary for Trade, Industry, and Investment.
Divided opinions on Mitumba imports
Attempts to restrict mitumba imports have sparked debates among Kenyan policymakers and economists, particularly since the country abandoned its import substitution programme in the early 1990s.
Supporters argue that second-hand clothes provide an affordable alternative for consumers who cannot afford new garments. Conversely, opponents contend that the influx of used clothing has devastated the local textile and apparel industry, which has the potential to generate millions of jobs, from cotton farming to textile manufacturing and retail.
During his campaign, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga faced backlash after suggesting plans to revitalise Kenya’s textile sector.
“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 political opponents, including William Ruto—who later won the presidency—seized the opportunity to appeal to mitumba traders by criticising Odinga’s remarks. Odinga later clarified that he was not advocating for a ban on mitumba.
Government efforts to revitalise the textile industry
Successive governments have attempted to revive the textile sector. The Kenya Kwanza administration is implementing a value chain approach under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, while the previous Jubilee government attempted a similar strategy through the Big Four Agenda. However, these efforts have barely dented the dominance of mitumba in the market.
Kenya has invested significantly in modernising Rivatex East Africa, based in Eldoret, by upgrading its equipment and infrastructure to increase production capacity.
The company recently announced its search for a strategic investor as it aims to enhance its production to meet the growing demand for textiles in Kenya and the region.
National cotton, textile, and apparel (CTA) Policy 2024
The draft National Cotton, Textile, and Apparel (CTA) Policy 2024 has been developed to guide the growth of Kenya’s cotton value chain.
“The policy seeks to revitalise 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 strategy for 2024-2027, the Kenyan government aims to revitalise and expand its textile industry by focusing on value addition and market access.
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It plans to establish textile value-addition centres in Nyando and Kieni to improve raw material processing, construct seven new ginneries, and modernise existing ones.
Additionally, the Fourth Medium-Term Plan includes equipping county industrial development centres with tailoring facilities to support local tailors and small enterprises.
To boost 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.
