• The county chiefs said they were pleased with the success story at Rivatex East Africa Limited.
• Malombe said they learnt there was an acute shortage of cotton which can be produced in some of the counties.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
Governors attending the devolution conference in Eldoret have hailed the revival of Rivatex, saying it will boost the cotton industry in the country.
The county chiefs, who visited the firm, said they were pleased with the success story at Rivatex East Africa Limited.
The textile firm was revived at a cost of more than Sh7 billion and now employs more than 1,400 employees directly, but has the potential to absorb more than 5,000 workers.
The governors who visited Rivatex on Monday included Kitui Governor Julius Malombe, Simon Kachapin of West Pokot and Andrew Mwadime of Taita Taveta.
“We have experienced amazing work going on at Rivatex and we are pleased to learn that they have an acute shortage of cotton which we can produce in some of our counties,” Malombe said.
He said as governors from 23 counties with the potential to produce cotton, they would seize the opportunity to help farmers tap into the cotton market and boost Rivatex production.
Kachapin promised to sensitise farmers in his county to engage in large-scale cotton production, which has higher returns considering the huge markets at Rivatex and other textile firms in the country, all of which import cotton.
The governors were taken round the factory by CEO Thomas Kipkurgat and board of directors chairman Cleophas Lagat.
Earlier on Monday, Trade CS Moses Kuria said the government plans to introduce new taxes on imported clothes as a measure to help grow the local textile industry.
He said the country has a rich textile sector that should be expanded to benefit Kenyans.
"In the next finance bill or even earlier, I will propose a new 25 per cent levy on imported apparel because time has come for us to grow our textile sector for the benefit of Kenyans," Kuria said.
He said imported clothes should be a luxury and not the main source of clothes for Kenyans.
Kuria made the remarks when he addressed the textile sector stakeholders at a forum in Eldoret.
He said he was aware that mitumba traders would oppose such levies on imported clothes but noted that it was because they had not been given alternative sources of cheaper clothes.
"I agree with mitumba traders because we have not given them an alternative. There are no cheaper locally produced clothes for them to sell," Kuria said.
The CS, however, said he would push on with the introduction of new levies on imported clothes because it will have a positive impact on the textile industry in the long run.
"We have done the same on some of the construction material which can be produced locally and although there was an outcry, we cannot backtrack because our focus is local manufacturers," Kuria said.
He said Kenyans should not be forced to depend on imported apparel yet the country has a huge potential in the textile sector.
The CS urged players in the textile industry to help turn around the sector.
"Our farmers are very enthusiastic and ready to play their role in cotton production. We just need to give them all they require and they will produce enough," Kuria said.
He said the textile sector in the country was a broken system employing only 50,000 people yet it can employ millions.
The CS said those in the textile sector were privileged and should take advantage of opportunities in the sector.
He said Kenyans had for a long time been made to believe in the impossible yet many opportunities were available in the country.
"We have a battle to fight to believe in possibilities. We can be self-sufficient in clothes production which is a simple basic matter," Kuria said.
He said the cotton growing could be expanded in all counties where it was possible to grow the crop.