Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga has set the record straight on his pledge to ban the Mitumba importation if elected in the forthcoming polls, saying he would not ban the trade of second-hand clothes but create a good working environment for traders within the country.

The presidential hopeful met with Mitumba representatives from the Gikomba Market on Friday, June 25, where he promised that his government would liaise with the necessary law enforcement agencies to rid the sector of cartels who benefit from the trade through unscrupulous dealings within the market.

During the open forum ,the section of traders highlighted their challenges in the sector, asking that the ban not be imposed as they depended on Mitumba trade for their survival especially with the high cost of living experienced in the country.

"We would not want Mitumba politicization to continue because Mitumba is food for us, if Mitumba sale is scrapped off, then we will remain hungry. These politics on Mitumba are ruining business for us," one trader noted.

Also in attendance was Kamkunji legislator Yusuf Hassan who pointed out the significance of the market in the country and the impact that such a ban would have on the business community in the city.

"As a community we believe that this trade should be supported, Gikomba market should be looked into as a national market, it’s the biggest market in East and Central Africa," Hassan stated.

Raila assured that his government would reinvent the industry to safeguard the traders' rights, improve their market as well as empower local production of textiles to complement the variety of clothes sold.

In addition he promised to reclaim the Gikomba land that has been grabbed by private individuals and cancel their title deeds, to allow full utilisation of the parcel for Mitumba trade.

"We will cancel the titles deeds issued to those land grabbers who have encroached the market so that you are able to conduct business accordingly. Do not be worried about any ban on Mitumba because we will not do it, we will work together to restore their former glory," he promised.