State targets to create 500,000 jobs in textile industry in five years

Industrialisation PS Juma Mukhwana said the textile sector is one of the key areas the government has earmarked to drive economic growth by improving farmers' livelihoods and creating jobs.

 He said in the last five years the government has invested more than Sh7 billion in Rivatex in Eldoret and it is now performing well. The firm will receive further support, the PS added.

The challenge, he said, has been lack of adequate cotton and other support infrastructure such as ginneries to enable the company to operate at full capacity.

“We have new machines and great manpower at Rivatex, but it's operating at less than 40 per cent of its capacity due to an acute shortage of cotton, which is the main raw material,” Mukhwana said.

He was speaking in Eldoret where he toured Rivatex, met with Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii and held a session with investors who are seeking to set up new industries in the town. 

Mukwana said this year the government has budgeted Sh200 million to support cotton farming in various parts of the country.

He asked farmers in Western, Nyanza and Eastern provinces to grow cotton to support Rivatex and the country to go back to profitable textile manufacturing and export.

Mukhwana said the sector employs about 50,000 people but had the potential to create many jobs.

He said Kenya was exporting quota and duty free textiles to the US and that the country had not been able to satisfy the market.

The country exports textile goods worth about Sh50 billion yet it has the opportunity to expand exports to more than Sh500 billion.

“There is a huge demand for our textiles and apparel in the US and Europe. We have huge potential and capacity to do more and even create a better economy, including jobs for our people,” Mukhwana said.

He said that during his recent trip to the US with President William Ruto, the head of state lobbied the US to extend AGOA engagement by another 10 years and the request was receiving favourable response.

 The PS has asked Kenyans to heavily invest in cotton farming, ginning, weaving and spinning to support the sector.

“This sector can be a game changer for Kenya and that is why we plan to do all that is possible so that we can tap all the available potential and opportunities from cotton production to exports,” he said.

Mukhwana said the government buys a kilo of cotton at Sh360 but the shortage is still massive.

 The PS wants counties that are located in traditional cotton growing belt to support the growth of the crop. Such regions include Bungoma, Busia, Siaya, Homa Bay, Machakos, Makueni, Kwale, among others.