THE STAR INFOGRAPHIC
According to a recent report by the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Kenya had an average annual import bill of $203 million (Sh26.3 billion) in 2022 for second-hand clothes, the biggest in Africa.
It was followed by Ghana at $165.4 million (Sh21.4 billion), Tanzania $150 million (Sh19.4 billion), Angola $120 million (Sh15.5 billion), Nigeria $95 million (Sh12.3 billion) and Cameroon $94 million (Sh12.2 billion).
China is Kenya’s top import source for mitumba, according to the United Nations, followed by Pakistan, Canada, the UK, the US, Poland, UAE, Germany and India, with the Republic of Korea closing the top 10 list.
In 2016, the presidents of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda resolved to ban the import of mitumba from 2019 to develop their domestic industries.
