New look, old habits: Why police are switching uniforms, again
Police officers during a past National Policing Conference at the Kenya School of Government.
Police officers will don new uniforms from Friday, replacing the deep navy-blue outfit introduced in 2018 under the leadership of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"We have been using the deep blue one, so we have just reverted back to the one that was agreed upon. I must note that on Monday, I will also be in that new one," Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja said.
He spoke on Tuesday after attending a rehearsal parade for police constables who have been training in Kiganjo, Nyeri County, adding that the graduating recruits will wear the new uniform during their pass-out parade.
President William Ruto will unveil the new uniform on Friday at the Kenya Police College during a pass-out parade. However, officers serving in the Administration Police Service and the General Service Unit will retain their current uniforms.
The change in uniform, Mr Kanja said, was aimed at boosting the morale and service delivery of National Police Service staff.
Officers reject deep navy blue outfit
The uniform change follows a 2023 public participation exercise in which police officers rejected the current deep navy-blue outfit and called for changes to better meet their operational needs.
In 2018, the National Police Service introduced the current shade of blue as part of the reform agenda in the police. At the time, the Persian-blue design was rejected by officers who claimed the uniform was not comfortable or stylish. The current uniform has been a subject of criticism, with some officers likening it to the uniform worn by a church choir.
Contradicts Maraga task force
President Ruto's decision to introduce a new uniform for the police contradicts a recommendation by the Justice David Maraga task force, which, among other issues, recommended that police revert to the old blue uniform.
"As regards the NPS uniforms, in line with the overwhelming views of the public, police officers themselves, and the leadership of NPS, the taskforce recommends that the NPS reverts to its old uniform for a period of three years, during which a process of designing a new uniform should be commenced in accordance with the recommendations in this Report," it stated.
The report, which the former Chief Justice has threatened to release if the President fails to implement it, recommended that the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, should develop and propose legislation for the establishment of a National Uniforms Committee.
The taskforce proposed that the committee be made up of representatives from the Disciplined and Security Services, whose mandate would be to approve standards, colours and qualities of uniforms for use by each service.
"The Committee should also address the misuse of uniforms by the public," the report says.
Besides the uniform, the report established that the three services have not automated their human resource processes, creating loopholes and opportunities for manipulation and corruption. Additionally, there are many instances where human resource functions are undertaken by uniformed officers who are not qualified HR professionals and end up making grave errors, even on mundane issues, to the chagrin of members of the services.
It recommended that, save for operational matters related to deployment, all other HR functions should be left to officers with the requisite HR training, experience and competence to handle personnel matters in the services.
"Full digitalisation of all HR services, including the payment of allowances, will ensure rapid response to the needs of all NPS officers," the report added.
Yesterday, Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat announced that all 10,000 recruits graduating on Friday would wear the new uniform.
Mr Lagat also said the crackdown on criminal gangs and goons, amid growing concerns over criminality — particularly at political rallies in recent months — was among the issues discussed during a high-level meeting of top police commanders in Nairobi.
"It is important that we have a Nairobi that is peaceful, orderly and free of crime and all other advanced criminal activities. Of very great importance is the issue of criminal gangs in Nairobi and other parts of the country," Mr Lagat said.
According to the DIG, several interventions have already been rolled out to maintain law and order in Nairobi, under the supervision of Nairobi Regional Commander Issa Mohamud.
"There is great improvement in terms of managing these goons, and part of what we are doing today is to lay strategies to finish these goons. I want to give an assurance to Kenyans that the issue of criminal gangs and goons is going to end," he said, urging Kenyans to support government interventions aimed at keeping the country safe.
Mr Lagat dismissed claims by some politicians that armed groups had taken over parts of the country and were operating in the presence of police officers.
"These are a few individuals who are criminal in nature, and we are going to deal with them. We have taken them to court and we will continue to arrest them," he said.
He said the police service would also receive a boost from the 10,000 recruits who will graduate and join the force on Friday.
