Kiambu seeks land to set up tannery and leather plant

The Kiambu county government is looking for 50 acres of land in Thika to set up a tannery and leather manufacturing plant, acting Governor James Nyoro has said.

Nyoro said the county, and in particular Dagoretti Market, produce the highest amount of hides and skins. 

However, the bulk of these products is either neglected to waste or sold at throwaway prices, he observed.

“Our priority as a government is to revive the leather industry. In this regard, we are sourcing for 50 acres of land in Thika where we will invest in tanneries and leather manufacturing plants to produce shoes for our armed forces and the general public, handbags, car seat cushions, jackets, leather garments and even industrial gloves,” he said. Nyoro said the revival of the sector had the potential to turn around Thika’s economy and those of the people supplying hides and skins by stimulating local employment and wealth creation in the leather industry in line with the President Uhuru kenyatta’s Big Four agenda.

During the event, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) president Richard Ngatia urged the national and county governments to rehabilitate the Nanyuki-Nairobi railway line to ease transportation of agricultural produce for both local and export market.

The chamber boss also urged farmers and traders to focus on value addition of crops to ensure they fetched better prices in the market.

“As part of the development agenda of the government particularly on infrastructure projects, we urge the national and county government to restore the Nairobi-Nanyuki railway line so as to ease transportation of goods,” said Ngatia.