Let us expand the debate on second-hand clothes

I always enjoy debates, the more controversial the better. In the school system, debates help children to develop their confidence levels, improve their public speaking skills as well the ability to articulate an idea. In fact, I am convinced that a strong debating culture is as important to a school as a well stocked library or a fully equipped laboratory. In recent weeks the biggest debate in the East African region has been about second-hand clothes with some calling for the total ban on their importation. Some argue that these clothes have killed or are killing the local textile industry. In some EAC countries, an increase in tax on these clothes is already in the offing with hope that this will allow the local textile industry to prosper. The proposed tax coincides with the East African Community’s proposal a few weeks back to initiate a process of locking out such clothes from the local markets. Second-hand clothes are such a huge phenomenon in the region, some call them Mivumba, Mitumba or Caguwa. However, textile products from China have also hit our market like floods and some are quick to point out that the quality is not that good, something that compels some people to stick to second-hand clothes than the new ones from China. Personally, I do buy second-hand clothes quite a lot that I think I am now an expert in picking out the decent ones. Whenever I am picking them out, I am not so concerned with whether a shirt or trouser will look great on me but why the former owner felt it was no longer good enough to keep wearing it. Sometimes it is just a missing button while other times it is a huge stain at a very visible spot. The debate about second-hand clothes got me thinking about a lot of things. If indeed second-hand clothes have killed the local textile industry, then how many other local industries are struggling or dying due to the importation of something that we can manufacture within the region? Why are we limiting ourselves to just second-hand clothes anyway? There is a leader in this region who at the beginning of his presidential reign, promised to keep things “Magufulic” by purchasing furniture from the streets of a suburb best known for the production and sale of furniture by the roadside. Our addiction (I think it has reached that point) towards the English Premier League should have featured in this second-hand clothes debate given that so many people spend their weekends donning European club replica jerseys. How come the club owners are not complaining about their own local club jerseys not being bought? I am not sure it is even safe for me to stretch this debate to whether hair imported from Brazil and other areas is a threat to natural hair as far as women’s hair styling options are concerned. What I know for a fact is that the hair piece importation industry is a big business in this part of the world where what is natural is considered less attractive. We also have a lot of foreign ideas and peddlers of the same. Walk into any big hotel and you will see experts with their Italian suits and suitcases still bearing airline cargo tags ready for a seminar or workshop that will attract those we thought could think for us. Again I wonder whether this has an impact on our own thinking habits. Second-hand cars have also been debated several times but we are already addicted and I think Japan would bomb us if we stopped buying them because we would certainly be buying so much less of their cars if only new ones were coming in. Going back to the second-hand clothes debate, I tend to think that those with the option not to wear these clothes find it easy limiting the debate to just clothes and not on other things they spend their money on that can be made locally. I find this a little dishonest and I can only buy into it if they led by example instead of just by debate. We have to find our way to a point where it is cool to show off the locally made stuff we spent our money on instead of just showing concern for local manufacturers. For now, the debate around it is quite healthy and should continue. Last but not least, may peace prevail as the people of Zanzibar vote for their leaders again.

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Let us expand the debate on second-hand clothes