KIGALI (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has suspended Rwanda’s right to export clothing duty-free to the United States over Kigali’s decision to increase tariffs on imports of used clothing and footwear, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office said.
Let the trade wars begin, say no to EPA and AGOA, kwani walisign Africa continental free trade area ya nini. We need to do less trade with these jungus and more with ourselves.
I doubt, kenya has been scouting other EA countries to sign EPA. It went to the extent of stating that other countries were infringing Kenya sovereignty and sabotaging kenya by not signing so-called EPA.
Kenya’s interest in continental free area is not even clear. At best it looks like a front for western multinationals and chinese to use kenya as launchpad for their exports.
Kagame’s move may be unpopular, but it’s the only way to facilitate growth. India taxes their imports higher than any other country. If the companies feel they need that market, they’d set up locally manufacturing
Just plain and simple.
What irks me to no end is us agreeing to import second-hand underwear. UNDERWEAR!
Yaani wanawake wetu wanavaa suruali mitumba. What self-respecting country allows that? It’s dehumanising and racist for wazungus to insist that we buy this shit from them or else…
People were urging Kenya to also ban the second hand imports. But forget that Kenya is the biggest beneficiary of Agoa. Even if the rest of East African countries combined, they would not reach a quarter of Kenyan cloth exports to the US.
Rwanda had nothing to lose by banning the clothes. Kenya had a lot to lose, especially thousands of jobs at the EPZ.
You may hate Trump but he is putting America first. Fail to give them favourable deals and he responds in kind.
Kenya should revive its textile industry in a big way, because from what I know, nobody hates wearing new clothes. When we start manufacturing them cheaply, people will slowly move away from mitumba.
Give us figures. Not largest and best beneficiary. We want to know how much does Kenya export to the US vs how much Mitumba we import. Let’s cut the mitumba market and be self sustaining first. Then look to closer markets like Somalia, East Africa etc…
naona wakiendesha zile gari za cuba very soon
We sometimes fail to understand the need to buy local. Every time you buy imports you’re destroying the local economy. It is that simple. That’s why China buys very little from the world but sells billions worth of goods to the world resulting in their economy thriving for over 20 years.
Kagame understands how critical the textile industry is to the economy
How is forcing other countries to take donated 2nd hand clothes putting America first.
Its because of quality. Local made quality is many times poor quality. To improve quality means increasing costs especially when you are manufacturing in bulk. But the sellers have to maintain a price point to attract their customers.
Little financial impact on the move as it will only affect $1.5 million in Rwanda exports to the US. About 3% of Rwandas exports to the US are affected.
expected comment from an empty head above
Shaitani
Reviving our textile industry (and other manufacturing) is a no brainer; we have to do something to generate internal value from our land, resources and people. Shida is once again we as a country can’t f*cking focus and work on a game plan that makes sense. Hizi textile industries are very energy intensive, requiring a lot of elec to function. Nani anataka kuja kufungua factory huku wakati KP na ERC are shafting us?
There you are. :D:D:D
2016 exports
Kenya - $394 million
Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda - $43 million
Rwanda: Agoa won't make us go back on mitumba ban - Business Daily
In 1980 you could cut mitumba. If you cut mitumba now a very large part of the economy will grind to a halt. We don’t have the luxury of making decisions like Rwanda.
About 1 million Kenyans are directly supported by Mitumba trade.
You think because they are donated they bring themselves to Kenya?
Used clothes is a very big business. Big tax-paying American companies are involved.
Thank you for the link. Now, how much Mitumba do we import