For years, livestock farmers in Narok County discarded hides and skins, unaware of their economic value. This changed in 2019 when the government built the Ewaso Ng’iro Tannery and Leather Factory at a cost of Ksh 1.4 billion — Kenya’s first public leather company, jointly run by the National and County governments.
Government Spokesperson Dr. Isaac Mwaura, during a tour of the facility, highlighted its role in transforming waste into wealth. The factory processes 4,000 tonnes of hides and skins annually, producing 800,000 square feet of finished leather, creating 300 direct and over 5,000 indirect jobs, and targeting $8 million in yearly foreign earnings.
The tannery has already impacted the local economy, enabling farmers — especially women — to earn by supplying hides and skins. Women like Namunyak Salonik shared how the factory has uplifted their lives, offering training on modern livestock rearing to ensure better skin quality and higher earnings.
Factory officials, including Human Resource Director Richard Tankile, explained how they work with farmers to improve product quality by discouraging harmful practices like branding and addressing issues like tick bites. The tannery also promotes local manufacturing, supplying leather products such as school and men’s shoes mainly to markets like Kariakor in Nairobi.
Dr. Mwaura emphasized the tannery’s success as proof of the Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to value addition and local industry growth under the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Plans are underway to replicate similar projects across counties to bolster the leather sector, create jobs, and increase export revenue.
