RIVATEX to Start Providing Fabrics for Primary, Secondary School Uniforms

The national government is mulling coming up with a policy that might see all fabrics for primary and secondary school uniforms across the country supplied by the Rift Valley Textile Company (RIVATEX).

Government spokesperson Col. Rtd. Cyrus Oguna says this is part of a wider plan to ensure there is a stable market for locally produced cotton, even as it seeks to attract more farmers.

Speaking during a visit to the Eldoret-based textile company, Col. Oguna noted that cotton farming has a potential of employing many young men and women due to the current due demand for cotton.

“RIVATEX is looking beyond supplying the small market and among the considerations is to ensure that school uniforms get the fabric here and this will be able to create market that even the cotton that is grown in the country today cannot satisfy,” said the government spokesperson.

“Every farmer should be confident that when they grow cotton, there will be ready market,” he added.

Oguna pointed out that currently, RIVATEX, like many of the textile companies in the country are forced to import cotton as what is produced locally is not sufficient.

According to the company’s General Manager Patrick Nyaga, the country currently imports around 49 billion apparels that are used at the Export Processing Zones (EPZs).

RIVATEX is one of the key companies that the government revived and modernized under its manufacturing pillar of the Big Four Agenda.

Billions have been invested in the company with the hope that once fully operational it will be able to create job opportunities to the locals and accelerate manufacturing.

The company currently supplies fabrics for among others the Kenya Defense Forces and the National Police Service, alongside uniforms for multiple government agencies.