The ongoing assessment of supply capacities for textile, apparel and leather products by the East African Community Secretariat in the East African (EAC) region must be handled with utmost care and the outcomes made to truly reflect the situation on the ground. The exercise is meant to facilitate planning for phasing-out of second-hand leather and apparels products, in line with a directive of the last EAC heads of state summit.

The 17th Ordinary Summit of the EAC heads of state, which was themed ‘EAC: Advancing Market-Driven Integration’ held in March in Arusha, Tanzania directed partner states to procure their textile and footwear requirements from within the region where quality and supply capacities were competitively available. The summit directed partner states to sensitise all stakeholders and directed the Council of Ministers to provide it with an annual review with a view to fast-tracking the process.

Even as the region seeks to promote vertically-integrated industries in the textile and leather sector, it is important to gauge the level of preparedness to fill in the gap that will be left by expected ban. The industry may need support measures and incentives to expand investment in order to meet the sudden rise in demand for products. But it is clear that the region does not have the capacity to supply the market with the required amount of garments and shoes. Uganda, for example, has few cotton ginning factories despite being a major cotton producer. The Uganda Manufacturers Associations lists around 30 garment and footwear producers among its members. Although the intent of regional governments in banning second-hand clothes and shoes is noble — to boost local textile industries — that approach may not be the best for now.