The call to persuade Malawians to embrace locally produced products is proving to be less effective with a majority of the citizenry opting for imported goods.
Buy Malawi campaign was launched last year by President Peter Mutharika in a bid to encourage people to prioritize locally produced goods over those imported.
The clothing industry is one of those that have benefited less from the campaign.
It is widely believed that clothes made in Malawi are expensive as compared to those imported.
One of the players in the clothing industry, Robert Mwamadi of Che_Mwamadi Inc admitted that there is less support to the campaign. However he underlined that price equals value of the product.
“Indeed, the response is not as overwhelming. But there are two sides of the coin. Good things don’t come cheap,” said Mwamadi.
Although the majority has jumped into the conclusion that homemade clothes are expensive, it is also an undeniable truth that the cost depends on one’s design preference.
According to Mwamadi, he gives people liberty to choose design of their taste depending on thickness of their wallets.
“I personally design clothes depending on people’s pockets. I accord a customer the privilege of choosing designs of their comfort zone.”
Disregarding the majority view, other Malawians are shining in traditional local outfits. Government officials, religious leaders and entertainers, are among the most seen in such clothes.
Every Friday, civil servants wear domestic outfit as one way of promoting the local industry.
This came following advice from President Mutharika.
The initiative is a good one and our loacal tailors, fashion designers and related support industry should ensure that their pricing meets the majority of Malawians’ pockets that way they can be competitive and create a lucrative business and employee more Malawians. Formal employment is scarce these days and if this opportunity can be explored further by reducing imports of machinery directly related to fabrics manufacture and our local garment manufacture transfer the same efforts in locallly high quality Malawian fabrics which in turn our tailors and fashion designers can sell at afforadable prices to majority of Malawians then we will have a very vibrant business. If there is a committeee of Parliament on trade and industry and someone seating on a board to do with SMEs development this an opportunity wothy exploring. Inenso ndimafuna zachi-Malawizo koma abale let’s be realistic in our pricing so that it meets the majority of salaried Malawian employees’ pockets.
When I was in Malawi, 80-90% of all supermarket stock was from SA. Even Shoprite, they have these signs saying they support Proudly Malawian but I found almost nothing from Malawi, even the vegetables were from SA!!!
I suggest the government puts on import quotas, other countries do it to make local more competitive. Sell Malawian stuff and add 10% import duties to imported stuff, for example.
It is vital that Malawi becomes less dependent on imports and supports itself more. Suppose one day the country was isolated or had sanctions, what then? Learn to fend for yourselves. Also since UN, USAid, etc are putting pressure on the government to change policies and legalise abomination. They shall use food and resources, via sanctions, to pressure Malawi and get their wicked ways. Best way to fight that possibility is to become self sufficient.