President William Ruto’s Madaraka Day speech revealed an ambitious vision to transform Kenya’s leather industry into a competitive export hub, capable of boosting the economy and creating jobs significantly. significant.
By focusing on a spectacular increase in the sector’s turnover, from 15 billion shillings to 120 billion by 2027, the government intends not only to generate 100,000 additional jobs (compared to the current 17,000) but also increase annual shoe production from 8 million to 36 million pairs, worth Sh72 billion.
This substantial growth is intended to offer a radical response to the problem of massive importation of foreign shoes. President Ruto said with conviction: “I am committed that soon we will no longer be forced to import our shoes. We will wear them proudly, shoes made in Kenya, with our own leather.”
At the heart of this transformation is the shift from an economy exporting raw materials and semi-processed products to a sophisticated industrial sector capable of producing finished leather goods that are competitive in international markets.
Kenya produces up to 3 million skins and 18 million hides annually, and the government is focused on building local capacity to process these raw materials, provide quality tanning and manufacture finished products such as shoes, bags and belts.
To support this ambitious strategy, President Ruto announced several significant financial commitments.
The Ewaso Ng’iro Southern Development Authority leather factory will receive 400 million shillings for improvements, including 200 million for the acquisition of modern equipment, 100 million for the construction of a factory of shoes and 100 million for the purchase of skins and leathers.
Machines aimed at increasing the processing capacity of the factory have already been acquired and installed.
Additionally, the construction of the Kenya Leather Industrial Park in Kenanie, Machakos County is 85% complete.
This industrial park will include a common sewage treatment plant, two tanneries, two leather manufacturing factories, and 100 acres will be allocated to investors for setting up leather manufacturing factories by the end of the year.
The government is also working to improve the supply of quality skins and leathers.
To this end, 703 skinners were trained and subsidized skinning equipment was provided to 680 slaughter points.
These measures aim to ensure a constant supply of high-quality raw materials for the leather industry.
“We are building local capacity for processing hides and skins to provide quality raw materials from tanning to finished products such as shoes, bags and belts,” President Ruto stressed.
President Ruto’s vision for the leather industry is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Kenya’s economic resilience through value addition and industrialization.