The Kenya leather Development Council was gazette as a State Corporation in the then Ministry of Livestock Development vide an Executive Order through a legal notice No. 114 of the Kenya gazette supplement No. 113 of 9th September 2011, under the State Corporations Act (Cap 446) of the laws of Kenya to provide direction, harmony and coordination to the leather sub-sector in the country.
KLDC was formed on a Private-Public Partnership to represent the interests of the leather sector. The representation is drawn from Kenya Livestock Marketing Council, Slaughter Houses Association, Hides, Skins traders, tanners, footwear manufacturers, informal leather manufacturers, academia long standing in the subsector and the environment.
With the new dispensation, however, KLDC was moved to the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprises Development, where the leather sector has been categorized as one of the priority sectors by the Ministry.
The Council also works closely with relevant Government institutions such as: The Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development, East Africa Commerce and Tourism, National Treasury, among other key Government agencies.