The government has announced the creation of direct and indirect job opportunities in the leather industry in Narok County in the South Rift.
Speaking at Ewaso Ngiro tannery in Narok South sub-county, Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, and Regional Development, Peninnah Malonza regretted that for a long time, animal skins and hides had been dumped as waste.
However, she claimed that the skins have now created over 500 jobs directly and another 5,000 indirectly.
CS Malonza, acknowledging the importance of leather products, revealed that the government plans to expand the tannery factory to produce shoes for security officers as well as school-going children to reduce the importation of leather products.
Furthermore, Malonza highlighted that the factory will save businesswomen dealing in leather products from traveling long distances to look for treated leather products.
Emily Osono, a beads and leather businesswoman in Narok town, praised the government for setting up the tannery factory, saying that it has increased their output and strengthened their bead projects as Ushanga women.
Osono mentioned that previously they used to travel to Nairobi City to acquire treated leather for use in their beadworks, and the factory has come as a relief for the women.
The tannery project, launched in 2014 by the national government, has led to an increase in skin products from goats, sheep, cows, camels, among other livestock, which has boosted the leather industry.
