The government has announced creation of direct and indirect job opportunities in the leather industry in Narok County in the south rift.
Making the disclosure 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 but added the skins now had created over 500 jobs directly and another 5,000 indirectly.
Malonza who acknowledged 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 cut down on the importation of leather products.
Further, Malonza pointed out that the factory will save business women dealing in leather products from travelling long distances to look for treated leather products.
Emily Osono, a beads and leather business woman in Narok town, lauded the government for setting up the tannery factory, saying that it has boosted their output and strengthened their bead projects as Ushanga women.
Osono said that previously they used to travel to Nairobi City to acquire treated leather for use in their beadworks, and the factory had come as a sigh of relief for the women.
The tannery project which was 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.
By John Kaleke
