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Leather industry revival, Govt eyes 100,000 jobs

PS Jonathan Mueke during the event.

By Issa Hussein | 19 Jan 2024

The Government has identified the leather sector as a prime candidate for development, aiming to unlock 100,000 job opportunities within the next five years.

The Government has identified the leather sector as a prime candidate for development, aiming to unlock 100,000 job opportunities within the next five years. This ambitious plan seeks to more than quadruple the current 17,000 jobs supported by the industry, offering much-needed relief to the nation's unemployment figures.

Principal Secretary for Livestock Development, emphasized the sector's immense potential during a recent consultation meeting with officials from various state departments. Representatives from Industry, Trade, Investments, Cooperatives, Performance Delivery, Agriculture, and Livestock gathered to take stock of progress achieved under the government's "Bottom Up - Economic Transformation Agenda."

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"Employing a whole-of-government approach in delivering our priority value chains is yielding results," stated Mueke. He highlighted the potential revitalization of the leather sector as a beacon of hope for the country's pastoral communities, many of whom struggle with inadequate markets for their cattle hides and skins.

Prior to the early 1990s, Kenya's tanning industry thrived, fueled by export compensation and a robust network of 19 tanneries boasting a capital investment of Ksh 3.8 billion. This flourishing industry also nurtured approximately 4,000 jobs. Unfortunately, various factors led to its decline, leaving thousands out of work and valuable resources underutilized.

President William Ruto recently echoed the need for drastic measures to tackle the nation's unemployment crisis. Mueke's announcement aligns perfectly with this call to action, setting a clear roadmap for leather sector revitalization and its subsequent contribution to job creation.