Two COMESA/LLPI’s Experts Mr. Nicholas Mudungwe and Prof. Mekonnen Hailemariam conducted a mission to Kenya from July 5 to 11, 2015 in response to the request made by the Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC) to facilitate the designing of Kenya’s Leather Value Chin Policy and Master Plan.
The objective of the mission was to identify issues to be incorporated into the National Leather Policy Development and Leather Development Master Plan, as well as for the Kariako Footwear Cluster Operational Framework Setting. The mission objectives were accomplished through stakeholder’s consultations that were drawn from the various segments of the leather value chain and Government departments.
The Experts Team held consultative meetings with the Acting CEO of the Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC), Mr Charles Mwangi, the KLDC Board Chairman, Mr. Titus Ibui and the Industrialization Secretary in the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development, H.E. Mr. Julius K. Korir. In a two days meeting that followed, with stakeholders, 34 issues were identified. Through a participatory prioritization process, the top 10 issues, which should be dealt with at policy level as mechanism of improving the performance of the leather value chain were determined.
The Team also visited the Kariako footwear Cluster located less than 5 kms from Nairobi City Centre. The Cluster houses more than 500 SMEs, each employing 3 to 5 workers. Currently footwear production is estimated at 1.7 million pairs and more than 3 million sandals. The Cluster however faces numerous problems. Steps were recommended for the process of transforming the Kariako natural Cluster in to a formal and revitalized Cluster Cooperative setting.