Raila Odinga and William Ruto engage in twitter beef in regards to second-hand clothes

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance Presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his competitor United Democratic Alliance (UDA) aspirant William Ruto have engaged in an online altercation over the importation of mitumba.

Deputy President Ruto, the instigator in this case pointed out to Odinga's manifesto on the mitumba industry where the former Prime Minister described mitumba as "clothes that were worn by dead people."

"Trickle down is dangerous. They branded business people's merchandise counterfeit & destroyed them. Now clothing enterprises are dealers in dead-people's wares to be banned. BOTTOM UP, using TVET will assist these enterprises grow from sewing, cottage to textile & leather industry," read Ruto's tweet.

On his part, Odinga responded by releasing a video of DP Ruto previously speaking on the same matter with the caption, "Ambieni wale majamaa, the internet never forgets."

In the video, DP Ruto while addressing Kenyans during a previous campaign can be heard saying that by banning the importation of mitumba there will be a reduction of poverty in the country which in turn will create new jobs.

According to the Institute of Economic Affairs, Kenya ranks among the top ten countries in Sub Saharan Africa when it comes to the importation of second-hand clothes.

"In 2021, the value of these imports for the corresponding years and shows that the nominal value of the imports into Kenya has risen by 80% from Ksh. 10 billion to 18 billion in the same six-year period," read their report in part titled The State of Second-Hand Clothes and Footwear Trade in Kenya.