Thika-based factory among beneficiaries of government uniform tenders.

A Thika-based factory is among the lucky local cloth manufacturers poised to benefit from the Government of Kenya uniform tenders.

Thika Cloth Mills, a renowned textile manufacturer since 1958 will join other beneficiaries such as Eldoret’s Rivatex, Alpha Knit in Ruiru, Bedi Investments of Nakuru and Sunflag in Nairobi to supply clothing materials to the army, police, prisons and the National Youth Service.

Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina and his Gatundu counterpart Moses Kuria revealed this in two separate occasions.

The two legislators welcomed the government’s move saying it will not only create and sustain jobs but also go a long way towards boosting the manufacturing sector, which is part of the Big 4 Agenda.

Wainaina recalled the good old days in the 1980s and early 1990s when TCM had a workforce of about 2,000 employees and envisioned that the government’s move would revive the industry into its previous state.

He mentioned about of his Bill in the National Assembly whose aim was to restrict imports for goods already manufactured locally in order to create a conducive environment to promote local manufacturing.

“The Bill that has already gone through the first reading will be a milestone for the manufacturing sector if it becomes law. I only appeal to my colleagues to support it,” said Wainaina.

While speaking in Gatundu during the presiding over a funds drive for the Martyrs of Uganda Catholic Church, Kuria commended Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu for commissioning a cloths factory that was recently awarded a tender to supply chiefs’ uniforms.

He challenged other governors to follow suit as this was the only sure way to creating the much coveted regional wealth.

“There’s no need of importing staff uniforms when we have local industries that produce them. We should be using the money spent on the imports to empower our local industries and to grow our economy,” Kuria said.