The government has officially operationalized the Sh5 billion Kenanie Leather Industrial Park in Machakos following the signing of a lease agreement between the Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC) and the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA).
The signing was witnessed by Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade, and Industry, Lee Kinyanjui, who hailed the move as a major step towards reviving the leather sector.
“Leather is a multi-billion-shilling industry which, if properly harnessed, can transform the livelihoods of livestock farmers and boost economic growth through local production and export,” said Kinyanjui.
He noted that many footwear and leather goods made in Kenya currently depend on imported raw materials due to limited local supply.
He urged KLDC to partner with slaughterhouses and train them on proper handling to reduce damage to hides and skins at the source.
The lease marks the end of a 10-year delay in fully operationalizing the Kenanie Leather Industrial Park, a project expected to create jobs and enhance value addition in the leather industry.
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