Local garment manufacturers plan three-day mega sale in Nairobi

What you need to know:

  • The event has been dubbed the first-ever super sale of local clothing brands in the country.
  • Quality brand new clothes made in Kenya at EPZ factories under key designer labels will be up for sale at "low and affordable prices".
  • Going under the hashtag #BuyKenyaSuperSale on Twitter, the sale will run for three days starting Wednesday.
  • Speaking at State House, Nakuru, on Sunday, Mr Esipisu said there will be subsequent sales in other cities and towns in the country "so that Kenyans can see some of the fruits and works they are investing in."

Local clothing manufacturers plan to have a "mega sale" of their products this week in Nairobi.

The event has been dubbed the first-ever super sale of local clothing brands in the country.

Going under the hashtag #BuyKenyaSuperSale on Twitter, the sale will run for three days starting Wednesday at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, (KICC). Prices will range from Sh50 to Sh600.

The sale has been organised by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives to promote local brands.

According to State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu, quality brand new clothes made in Kenya at its export processing zones (EPZ) under key designer labels will be up for sale at "low and affordable prices".

“They are making them available to this market so that Kenyans can have a sense and feel of what it is that is being produced here and being worn in major cities in the world but which by the time Kenyans see it again it’s like its already been worn in other markets and coming back under the used clothes' category,” he said on Sunday.

Biggest brands

Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed says some of the world's biggest inner wear brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger & Victoria's Secrets are being made in Kenya.

The Ministry of Trade is calling it the first super sale, which is expected to promote the local textile sector.

The sector supports 179,000 jobs according to the government, out of which 22,000 are said to have been created over the last three years.

It has potential of creating another 100,000 jobs according to the government.

“It is a demonstration of the importance accorded to the sector by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration,” Mr Esipisu said.

Economic Processing Zones in the country are a major economic driver for Kenya, with total investments of Sh74 billion and employing more than 50,000 people, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Speaking at State House, Nakuru, on Sunday, Mr Esipisu said there will be subsequent sales in other cities and towns in the country "so that Kenyans can see some of the fruits and works they are investing in."

"Fulfilled pledges"

“This is one of the pledges that has been fulfilled by the government through the Ministry of Industry and Trade,” he said.

He cited the industrial transformation programme that focused on creating a strong manufacturing base, with a goal to increase its contribution to 15 per cent of the GDP from the current 10-11 per cent.

Mr Esipisu said the strategy has seen initial focus around labour intensive sectors of textile and apparels, leather and agro-processing.

“Over this period new investment in production facilities have been made in Mombasa, Nairobi and Nakuru leading to exports to the United States under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Growth programme (Agoa) to exceed 400 million US dollars making Kenya the leading apparel exporter to the US, in sub-Saharan Africa under Agoa,” he said.

He said the government has deliberate ensured access to affordable clothing that is duty free and VAT free, for the first time since independent.

“This is what you will see starting Wednesday,” he stated.