The good, the bad and the ugly of 'mitumba'

Bales of mitumba being offloaded from a matatu in Nakuru town. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s remarks on second-hand clothes was yesterday a hot topic of discussion on social media.

The two presidential candidates - Raila and his main competitor William Ruto of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance - seem to agree on the need to stem the inflow of mitumba as a means of building the country’s textile production.

Raila’s competitors - who have been drumming up an economic system...