“The government of Kenya through the bottom-up model in partnership with the TVETs will help in running your business and we will help you to be the investors in the clothing industry in Kenya. You will run the textile industry as well and make designer clothes, nobody will kill your business,” said Ruto.

Odinga's pledge to rid the country off the Mitumba was met with resistance, with many stating that it would render many people who depend on the trade for their livelihood jobless, especially because many of them come from low income households.

His plan was to reinvent the industry ,right from the farmers who involved in cotton growing, and the resurrection of textile industries that would produce quality products to cater to local demand and exports, instead of importing clothes he termed were worn by dead people.

“We are going to go to primary production so that our people who are importing mitumba can have a good product to sell here. I am saying that we are not moving anybody out of business. We will ensure those who are importing Mitumba get the firsthand to market goods which are going to be manufactured here,” he stated.

The Hustler team found the statement demeaning, as they saw it as plot to kill the business that feeds more than two million people.