- Government mulls ‘mitumba’ ban
That is according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Mr Uledi Mussa, who pointed out that phasing out ‘Mitumba’ was one of the directives that Presidents Jakaya Kikwete and the other four Heads of East African States issued during their recent summit.
“There is even a policy in place towards banning importation of second-hand clothing as inked during the sailing of Customs Union Protocol back in 2005 but the execution was halted due to political interference,” said PS Uledi adding that such garments were taking major toll on the local textile industries.
A used clothes market in Arusha. (Photo by Raymond John).
Mr Uledi was speaking in Arusha during the launching of the project on strengthening institutional capacities for industrial policy management, monitoring and evaluation in the East African Community.
The Regional Industrial development Project Launch was organized by the Arusha-based, East African Community (EAC) Secretariat in conjunction with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with support from the government of the Republic of South Korea. The Permanent Secretary was of the view that, without manufacturing industry, East African Member states may as well forget about development because production was the key factor in pushing any community forward; “Developed Nations will never support industrialization of poor countries as they need our raw materials,” he said and lauded South Korea for being an exemption.
As for the dying textile industry, Mr Uledi said it went away with formerly skilled workforce, citing the example of the newly established garments spinning factory at the Ubungo Export Processing Zone in Dar-es-salaam which is capable of providing direct employment to 14,000 workers, but until now the plant has been able to employ only 3000 workers.
“Imagine we have a factory here which is ready to employ 14,000; this is enough to clear the streets of hawkers, loiterers but until now there is vacancy for 11,000 yet many are still roaming Dar streets ,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary blamed it to the loss of past skills when almost every Tanzania knew something about needle-work, sewing machine operating and knitting but the advent of ‘Mitumba’ has discouraged many from developing such trade as was deemed not productive.
A representative from UNIDO Mr Gerald Runyoro said his organization, with assistance from South Korea will help East African Countries develop their industrialization policy and actually make it work: “Each member state has its own types of raw materials that can be used to manufacture finished products in another then get to export them as ‘Made in East Africa,’ items,” he said.
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