The demand for second-hand clothes, commonly known as mitumba, is on the rise in Kenya as more citizens, particularly those from the informal sector, seek affordable clothing options. According to the latest quarterly data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the value of mitumba imports by traders surged to KSh 27.8 billion in the year leading up to March 2024, marking a 33 percent increase from KSh 20.9 billion the previous year.
This trend highlights the appeal of higher quality and lower-priced used clothing over locally made garments. The significant margins enjoyed by traders in informal markets further drive this demand. However, this growing preference for mitumba poses a challenge to President William Ruto’s policy of promoting the local textile industry. Since 2022, the government has proposed a ban on mitumba imports to boost local textile production, but the rising import figures suggest a different consumer trend.
Economic Impact and Employment
The second-hand clothes trade has long thrived in Kenya, attracting numerous traders, including those from China, which remains the country’s top source market for mitumba. Gikomba, Nairobi’s largest informal market for second-hand clothes, has become a hub for this trade. The Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya notes a rapid increase in the number of people entering this sector, underscoring its role in revenue generation and job creation.
A KNBS report reveals that the mitumba sector employs approximately two million people, contributing significantly to Kenya’s labor force of around 25 million. This sector’s growth is evident in the increased import value of second-hand clothes, which has, in turn, raised the total import expenditure in the first quarter of 2024 by KSh 94.2 billion compared to the same period in 2023.
Trade Dynamics
The bulk of Kenya’s import expenditure in early 2024 was directed towards Asia, particularly China, accounting for 64.2 percent of the total import value, which reached KSh 439 billion. Imports from Far East Asia increased from KSh 247.4 billion in the first quarter of 2023 to KSh 312.9 billion in the same period of 2024. There were notable rises in imports from Malaysia and Pakistan, which more than doubled, and a 38.8 percent increase from China. These imports included crude palm oil, gas oil, rice, and railway goods from these countries.
Conversely, import expenditure to the Middle East fell by 13.
