Nairobi’s Kariokor leather factory – Nairobi News

Nairobi residents will now access locally made leather products in the city in the next two months after the opening of the Kariokor Common Leather factory.

Nairobi City Governor Mike Sonko will unveil the market in July to pave way for the production of leather products such as shoes, belts and handbags.

The factory is being constructed in collaboration with the Kenya Leather Development Council.

Sonko has said the Kariokor Common Leather facility will make a great stride towards realizing Kenya’s Vision 2030, the country’s economic development blueprint which aims to transform Kenya into a middle-income country.

MODERN EQUIPMENT

“The new Kariokor Market will be equipped with modern machinery and equipment that will mechanize production of shoes. This will go a long way in the production of good quality shoes that meet international standards,” Sonko said.

The facility is expected to have an average annual production growth from the current 2 million shoes to 10 million shoes.

“This will increase traders’ annual income to more than Sh 1 billion annually by the year 2022,” said Sonko.

CREATE JOBS

Nairobi City County Trade CECM Allan Igambi has said once opened the market will create job opportunities for the youth in Nairobi.

“Currently the old Kariokor market employs about 1,000 people which is expected to grow to 10,000 in three years both directly and indirectly through subsidiary jobs,” said Igambi.

The old Kariokor market currently produces over 2 million pairs of shoes annually and the production is expected to increase significantly once the new market is operational.

Nairobi County has the highest number of slaughterhouses in the country with an average annual production of hides and skin at 525 tonnes, goatskin 1.6 tonnes, calf hides 31.5 tonnes, and camel hides 199.