His eyes are fixed on the mitumba clothes in front of him. His story mirrors that of hundreds of traders in this sprawling market - traders who have been forced to sell previously dead stock as they clutch at straws to remain afloat. After the coronavirus pandemic hit Kenya’s shores in March this year, the government banned the importation of second-hand clothes to tame the spread of the virus. “Even though the government has lifted the ban on the importation, it’s now a month without new stock,” Sende said. “I now have to import a 35kg bale of second-hand clothes but pay the price for a 50kg bale just like before.

Source: Standard Digital September 19, 2020 21:01 UTC