Kenya has surpassed Nigeria to become Africa’s largest importer of second-hand clothes, known locally as “Mitumba. The second-hand clothing trade, often seen as a sustainable alternative to fast fashion, is a significant barrier to Kenya’s clean energy and zero-emission goals.
The journey of second-hand clothes to Kenyan markets is a carbon-intensive process. A 2025 study in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews analyzed the Global Secondhand Clothing Trade Network (GSCTN) from 1995 to 2022, noting that Africa’s import sources have shifted from Europe to Asia, increasing shipping distances.
For instance, a bale of clothes shipped from China to Mombasa travels over 8,000 kilometers, often on cargo ships powered by heavy fuel oil, which emits approximately 3.1 kg of CO2 per ton-kilometer, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In Kenya, where the energy matrix is 80% fossil fuels, 18% renewable energy, and 2% coal , the subsequent distribution via diesel-powered trucks adds to emissions. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reported in 2023 that the transport sector accounts for 13% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport alone contributing 10.5 million tons of CO2 annually.
This reliance on fossil fuels directly undermines Kenya’s renewable energy goals. The country aimed for a 100% renewable energy transition by 2022 but failed due to inadequate infrastructure and financing, as noted in the ScienceDirect study.
The Mitumba trade also generates significant waste, further countering zero-emission efforts. In Kenya, 1%-2% of imported bales—equating to 150-300 tons of waste per 15,000 tons imported monthly, as per a 2024 ResearchGate paper reported. Much of this waste is incinerated or dumped in landfills like Dandora in Nairobi, which handles 850 tons of waste daily, according to the Nairobi City County Waste Management Report (2023).
A 2024 ResearchGate mini-review on textile waste management in Africa states that incineration of textiles releases 1.5 kg of CO2 per kg of fabric burned, contributing to Kenya’s 54 million tons of annual CO2 emissions.
This waste management crisis directly contradicts Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which target a 32% emissions reduction by 2030.
For instance, the incineration of 300 tons of textile waste monthly generates approximately 450 tons of CO2, equivalent to the annual emissions of 100 gasoline-powered cars. Moreover, textile waste clogs riverways like the Nairobi River, where 20% of blockages are attributed to discarded clothes, per a 2022 UNEP report, leading to flooding that requires energy-intensive cleanup efforts.
These activities often rely on diesel-powered machinery, further increasing emissions and diverting energy resources from renewable projects like the 50 MW Garissa Solar Plant, which powers 200,000 households but struggles with funding for expansion.
The Mitumba trade stifles Kenya’s local textile industry, which could operate more sustainably with renewable energy. In 2017, Kenya exported $340 million in textiles to the US, but local production has declined due to competition from second-hand imports, as noted in a 2022 Fie-Consult report.
For example, the Rivatex textile factory in Eldoret, which employs 500 workers and uses hydroelectric power, reduced production by 30% between 2020 and 2023 due to market saturation by Mitumba. A revitalized local industry could leverage Kenya’s 90% renewable electricity to power manufacturing, reducing emissions by an estimated 0.5 tons of CO2 per ton of fabric produced compared to imports (IPPR, 2023).
Instead, the economic focus on Mitumba diverts resources from renewable energy investments. The Kenyan government allocated $50 million in 2024 to waste management in markets like Gikomba, the largest Mitumba market, to address fire hazards and flooding caused by textile waste, according to the Ministry of Environment.
This funding could have supported projects like the 35 MW Menengai Geothermal Plant, which faced delays due to a $20 million shortfall.
The Mitumba trade’s economic prioritization—supporting 2 million jobs—thus comes at the expense of long-term climate goals, slowing the transition to a cleaner energy grid.
Globally, the second-hand clothing trade shifts environmental burdens to developing countries. A 2024 climateaction.africa article notes that 40% of Africa’s imported second-hand clothes end up as waste, contributing to 12 million tons of annual textile waste continent-wide.
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In Kenya, this undermines specific green initiatives, such as the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The government introduced a 2023 policy offering a 25% tax reduction on EVs, aiming for 5% of vehicles to be electric by 2025.
However, only 350 EVs were registered by 2024 (Kenya Power, 2024), partly because diesel trucks for Mitumba distribution dominate logistics, emitting 2.5 kg of CO2 per liter of diesel burned. This counters the EV policy’s goal of reducing transport emissions by 1 million tons annually.
Kenya’s Mitumba trade, while economically vital, poses a significant threat to clean energy and zero-emission goals. The trade’s reliance on fossil fuel-powered transportation, the emissions from textile waste incineration (450 tons of CO2 monthly), and the stifling of local textile industries like Rivatex all counter Kenya’s green efforts.
Specific initiatives, such as the Garissa Solar Plant and EV adoption, are undermined by the energy demands of the Mitumba trade. To align with its 32% emissions reduction target by 2030, Kenya must regulate second-hand clothing imports, invest in renewable energy-powered waste management, and support local textile production. Without action, the Mitumba trade will continue to be a first-class polluter, derailing Kenya’s path to a sustainable future.
