Kenyan President William Ruto has said Kenya aims to stop importing shoes within the next 2 to 3 years as the government seeks to expand local manufacturing. He also called for tighter controls on hides and skins being smuggled to West Africa and a reduction in exports of unprocessed materials.

Speaking at the Agriculture and Food Security Presidential Town Hall at Jamhuri Park in Nairobi, Ruto said large quantities of Kenyan hides were being smuggled through unofficial routes to West Africa where they are consumed as food.

He called for greater investment in the collection, handling and processing of hides and skins along with measures to limit the export of unprocessed products.

Ruto said the government wanted local manufacturers to use more Kenyan leather and reduce reliance on imported leather products. He also linked the plan to broader efforts to create jobs and generate more value from the country’s livestock resources.