Matiang'i questions Sh2.8bn police uniform tender

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Former Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee deputy party leader Fred Matiang’i has questioned the government’s decision to procure new police uniforms, arguing that the State should make greater use of existing public institutions and capacity.

In a statement posted on X on Monday, August 31, Matiang’i said the government did not always have to purchase goods and services from outside when it already had institutions capable of producing them.

“Government does not always have to buy everything. Sometimes government already has the capacity; it simply needs to coordinate it properly,” Matiang’i said.

He urged the government to prioritise public expenditure by tapping into existing skills, facilities and capabilities across public institutions and the private sector.

Matiang’i specifically proposed greater involvement of the National Youth Service (NYS), citing its vocational and technical training capacity as an avenue through which the State could produce uniforms and other requirements.

He also called for partnerships between public institutions and the private sector to maximise the use of available resources.

“And as we discuss another change of police uniforms today, we should ask a bigger question: Are we getting the greatest possible value from the resources available to us?” he said.

Matiang’i said while changing the uniform could alter the appearance of a police officer, meaningful reform should go beyond aesthetics.

“The uniform can change the appearance of a police officer, but good governance must go further. It must strengthen institutions, build capacity and ensure that every shilling spent delivers value to the Kenyan people,” he said.

His remarks come amid public scrutiny of the reported Sh2.8 billion procurement of the new Kenya Police Service General Duty uniform.

On Monday morning, Inspector General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja donned the newly introduced uniform as the Service sought to highlight its ongoing reform agenda.

The NPS has defended the new attire, saying it is more than an aesthetic change. According to the Service, the uniform is intended to motivate officers, boost morale, project a professional image and enhance public visibility.