- The campaign seeks to amplify the visibility of local designers and the textile industry locally and globally
- People in leadership positions should lead the way in supporting local industries.
Image: FILE
Members of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) will this week run a campaign to support Kenyan-based cloth designers and locally produced textiles.
The women legislators will wear outfits made by their local designers for all parliamentary sessions this week.
“The campaign strives to support the local industries by consuming locally produced goods and services,” said Nominated Senator Veronica Maina.
Addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday, the lawmakers said Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute to employment creation, wealth creation, poverty alleviation and income generation.
“The KEWOPA members’ campaign will amplify the visibility of these businesses both locally and globally as it will be led by national leaders,” Maina added.
“We encourage all Kenyans to join us and be part of this campaign by wearing our locally made African designs.”
KEWOPA is a cross-party caucus bringing on board all women parliamentarians drawn from both houses (National Assembly and Senate).
The caucus works to promote and protect democracy and advocate for women's rights.
Nominated MP Irene Mayaka said people in leadership positions should lead the way in supporting local industries.
“We must strive hard to ensure local businesses thrive. One way of doing this is by buying from them,” she said.
Naivasha MP Jane Kihara said Kenyans don't take tailoring courses anymore because many people have been opting to buy clothes from outside the country.
“Tailoring courses are dead because people do not get their clothes from local tailors. We must support tailors in the villages by buying from them. Tailors should also buy locally produced materials,” she said.
Kihara added that buying goods from local enterprises would go a long way in reviving the ailing economy.