Kenya’s footwear imports have recorded a sharp rise in the first three months of the year, putting pressure on President William Ruto’s commitment to curb imports and boost local manufacturing under his economic transformation plan.

Latest figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that the country spent Sh1.85 billion on footwear imports between January and March, a 15.11 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

This jump ends a three-year trend of first-quarter declines and follows a 19.01 percent annual rise in 2024 that pushed total imports to a record Sh8.47 billion.

The growing inflow of imported shoes presents a fresh test for the Ruto administration’s promise to grow the country’s leather value chain and reduce Kenya’s reliance on foreign products.

Although the KNBS does not specify the categories of imported shoes, past data from the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) points to a significant share being shoes with rubber soles and leather uppers.

The rising import bill contradicts President Ruto’s pledge made on June 1, 2024, where he said: “I have made this commitment that shortly, we will not be importing shoes from anywhere. We will be wearing our own shoes, made in Kenya using our own leather.”

He added that the government aims to increase leather sector revenues from Sh15 billion to Sh120 billion annually, raise job numbers from 17,000 to 100,000, and boost annual shoe production from 8 million to 36 million pairs worth Sh72 billion by 2027.

However, the latest KNBS data shows that employment in the leather sector has continued to shrink. The number of workers dropped to 1,290 last year, down from 1,303 in 2023 and 1,322 in 2022.

KAM has linked the continued job losses to persistent hurdles in the sector, including the shutdown of eight tanneries due to inadequate raw hides, smuggling, low hide quality, and unfriendly policies.

In response, the government has outlined plans to revive the struggling sector.

The 2025 Budget Policy Statement outlines steps to review the Hides and Skins and Leather Trade Act to reintroduce licensing for value chain actors and attract more small businesses. It also proposes to complete the Kenya Leather Value Chain Development Policy and the Leather Development Authority Bill to strengthen regulation and coordination.

“The government is developing local capacity to handle hides and skins to provide quality raw material, tanning as well as the local manufacturing of finished leather goods such as shoes, bags, and belts,” the Treasury noted in the BPS.

To support these goals, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has allocated Sh340 million in the current budget to the Kenya Leather Industrial Park in Kenanie, Machakos. Started under the previous administration, the park is set to house two tanneries, two leather factories, and reserve 100 acres for additional leather investors by the end of the year.

Mbadi said in his budget speech that Kenya had received approval to maintain a 35 percent import duty on leather products under the East African Community common external tariff.