The Ministry of Trade and Industry, last week, announced a new initiative to help reduce import of used clothes for health reasons as well as part of efforts to ensure self-dignity and job creation for the nation.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, last week, announced a new initiative to help reduce import of used clothes for health reasons as well as part of efforts to ensure self-dignity and job creation for the nation.
The announcement follows a similar one made years earlier.
About five years ago, Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) announced a ban on importation and sale of used undergarments, particularly for health reasons.
The ban targeted night dresses, knickers, hospital gowns, ladies and gents’ underwear, bras, among others.
However, years later, a spot check at different markets by The New Times revealed that most of the kinds of clothings banned continue to thrive on sale.
In separate interviews with buyers and sellers, some raised concerns about the implementation of the ban while others were nonchallant.
"We have not stopped selling these clothes as we also buy them from importers.We make a living out of it.
Without this business we would not afford to look after our children; not everybody can afford to trade in new clothes,” Gaudance Murekatete, a trader at Biryogo Market in Nyarugenge District, said.
The market is a beehive of activity with many dealers of second hand clothes.
Potential buyers are ushered in by brokers who stand across all corners of the market. The words are simple: Our clothes are durable. It is really ‘chaguwa’ (a slang for used clothes).
Different stands in the market had piles of used bras.
Nyamirambo Market is also flooded with used undergarments, with street vendors also selling them.
Murekatete said the ban could affect small, medium traders and most Rwandans who cannot afford brand new clothes.
"New clothes are expensive but even then many people prefer used items. I tried to sell new undergarments but the shift was painful. I hardly made Rwf2,000 a day as there was growing concern about prices and quality. Later, I had to revert to used clothes,” Murekatete said.
The lowest price for a new bra is Rwf1,000 while a used one can go for as low as Rwf100.
Murekatete’s stock is in three categories. The prices range between Rwf300 and Rwf100.
Prices for new undergarments range between Rwf500 and Rwf7,000.
I prefer selling used clothes because my capital is little, Murekatete added.
Assumpta Nyirasuku, a shopper, said many people buy used clothes because they are more affordable.
"With Rwf2,000 you buy in plenty, good quality brassiere and underpants which I can’t get if they were new clothes,” said Nyirasuku.
Leonard Ntihabose, a trader, said to eliminate used clothes, government should consider how to harmonise prices.
What RSB says
Phillip Nzayire, the quality assurance manager at Rwanda Standards Board, told The New Times that they maintain the ban on import of used undergarments at the borders.
"We have been seizing consignments at the border. Our staff carry out inspection during declaration and when detected we send them back or at times burn them. However, those you see on the market pass through borders far from our staff. Others are illegally wrapped under new clothes to go undetected,” he said.
Nzayire said plans are underway to deploy more staff at all border points.
He said this will be through a law that is being prepared to establish an autonomous inspection institution.
"In the meantime, we want to step up campaigns in the markets on the dangers of used undergarments for sellers and consumers though public announcements,” he added.
The RSB official said other prohibitive measures include withdrawal of trading licence from errant traders as well as fines but the primary focus is on public awareness.
Nzayire appealed to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other relevant institutions to consider facilitating trade in new clothes through incentives.
Nathan Mugume, the head health communication at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, said the Ministry of Health recognises that used underwear can spread skin diseases.
He said the ministry still supports campaigns to avoid sharing instruments, including clothings, in which used undergarments is considered as a mode of spread of skin diseases if previous user had infections.
Mugume said inspection organs can foster efforts to combat the spreading.
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Health risks of wearing used undergarments
Studies on health impact of used clothes and undergarments raises health concerns. A 2015 study by the journal ‘ijcmas.com’ on Isolation and characterisation of microorganisms associated with used female undergarments, and children wear showed health effects.
The report is quoted by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) for its decision to ban used undergarments.
Experts say undergarments absorb body and skin fluids in the form of sweat and discharges, which contain millions of disease causing microbes including yeasts, parasites, molds, fungi, bacteria and virus.
Body fluids that soil used undergarments can be injurious to the skin and hair. Ringworm, genital candidiasis and other infectious fungi with high propensity to become dormant spores are a constant danger; normal laundering produces clean clothes, but does not necessarily kill all the microbes.
Sexually transmitted infections such as virginal and skin candidiasis, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and Hepatitis, can be transfered from undergarment previously used by infected persons.