WazaWazi Leather by Chebet Mutai crafts luxury bags in Kenya, creating jobs and redefining African fashion with quality and purpose.
By Anne Wambui
WazaWazi: Kenyan Leather Brand with Global Ambitions
Chebet Mutai is the founder and owner of WazaWazi, a 10-year-old Kenyan fashion house that designs and manufactures high-end leather goods for a global clientele.
In May 2012, Chebet bootstrapped her venture by selling her personal car and investing her savings.
“I had about Ksh 500,000 (~$4,300) and a partner who bought the machinery. That’s how I started. The first three months were extremely tough—none of my friends even asked what I was doing. That’s when I realised how lonely entrepreneurship can be,” she reflects.
Loyal Customers from East Africa
One of WazaWazi’s most loyal customers is 80-year-old Sukhdev Kavr Mahajan, founder of the Mada Hotels Group, which operates in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
“I began business in Kenya in 1972. The products at WazaWazi are exceptionally crafted. The leather is genuine—it smells natural,” Mahajan says from her boutique at Nairobi’s upscale Valley Arcade, where WazaWazi also has an outlet.
Though WazaWazi markets its brand online via social media platforms, word of mouth has proven to be its strongest marketing channel.
Kenya’s Leather Industry Potential
WazaWazi sources its leather from local tanneries. Kenya, which boasts the third-largest livestock population in Africa, is positioned to become a leather powerhouse. According to Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC), the country exports 90% of its leather in raw or semi-processed form.
“The Kenyan leather industry contributes just 0.3% to our GDP,” says Isaac Noor, CEO of KLDC. “Yet globally the sector is worth $150 billion. Kenya’s share is less than 1%, approximately $180 million.”
A Global Footprint
Chebet routinely showcases her work at leading fashion trade fairs in Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Las Vegas, and New York. Her core belief is in quality manufacturing as a tool for economic empowerment.
“Quality is a way of life. It’s not an afterthought,” says Chebet, a graduate of Kenyatta University where she studied French and Economics.
Her bag designs are named after African women who’ve inspired her—like the Kittony Bag (after politician Zipporah Kittony), the Makosewe Bag (after media icon Grace Makosewe), the Luoch Bag (for stylist Connie Aluoch), and the Wangari Work Tote, in honour of Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai.
Inspired by Purpose
Chebet’s entrepreneurial pivot came after three years working at the World Bank, flying across sub-Saharan Africa on expensive development missions. She became disillusioned with the disproportionate costs of aid compared to the actual impact.
“Logistics for a single mission could cost over $10,000. Meanwhile, Africa’s unemployment levels remained alarming. I decided to start a fashion business to create jobs—and that’s how WazaWazi was born.”
Kenya’s Leather Sector and Vision 2030
WazaWazi aligns with the Kenyan government’s Vision 2030, which prioritizes leather among key industries to drive manufacturing and job creation.
Despite past reluctance from banks to lend without collateral, Kenya’s banking sector has evolved, now supporting SMEs with strong ideas, even when tangible assets are absent.
Community Impact
One of WazaWazi’s artisans is Evelyn Ndelio, a 50-year-old Maasai woman from Kajiado County.
“Chebet sent people to our village looking for women skilled in beadwork. Ten of us volunteered to come to Nairobi. We now earn a steady monthly income—something that was rare before,” she shares, proudly dressed in traditional attire.
From its factory in Nairobi’s Jamhuri Showground, WazaWazi produces luxury backpacks, clutches, tablet cases, jackets, and beaded belts. The company now employs 16 full-time staff.
“Africans must stop theorizing change and start implementing it. We can’t keep blaming institutions—we must take personal responsibility,” Chebet asserts.
Her message is clear: Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. Purpose builds legacy.
Internal Links Suggestions for Site Use:
- Kenya’s Vision 2030 Goals
- Profiles on Kenyan Women Entrepreneurs
- SME Financing in Kenya
- Leather Manufacturing Trends in Africa